Lucknow: The BJP on Tuesday petitioned the Election Commission (EC) against the ruling Samajwadi Party and sought cancellation of its recognition, alleging its leaders are trying to influence voters by offering them money and dividing them on religious lines.

In its poll manifesto, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has spoken of ensuring benefits to minorities in the government-run schemes proportionate to their population, which is in contravention to the Supreme Court ruling (Order No. 21455), a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader told IANS here.

He also pointed out that religion-based reservation is not possible under the Constitution and in any case, it is not a subject of the state government.

A delegation of the party met the state poll officials here to file the petition.

The BJP also told the EC officials that the manifesto of the ruling party carries a picture of the Samajwadi Health Service ambulance, though the fact is that the service is being funded by the central government.-IANS