The BJP on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the statement that the party will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's "reputation, sovereignty or integrity" and requested it to issue direction for registration of FIR against her.

The Congress, referring to Gandhi's speech at a campaign rally at Hubballi on Saturday, said in a tweet that the Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson "sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas,' and also posted pictures of her speaking at the public meeting.

The Congress tweet read: "The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's reputation, sovereignty or integrity."

Describing this statement as "shocking and unacceptable", Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who filed the complaint, said Gandhi has violated provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and requested the EC to take stringent action against her for making "such a statement."

Karandlaje, Convener of the BJP Election Management Committee, also requested the EC to issue direction to register a FIR against her and take exemplary punitive action.

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