However, the party, at the same time, decided to withdraw the controversial advertisement ``in deference to the EC's desire.'' In a letter written to the EC today, party general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu took excetion to the ban order. ``If it received a complaint from the Congress against this advertisement, the Commission should have asked for the comments of the BJP or heard its viewpoint before passing a judgement,'' he stated, adding, ``In the absence of this, the order passed by the Commission is violative of the principles of natural justice and is, therefore, arbitrary and uncalled for.''

BJP sokesman K L Sharma went a step further. ``Such ex-parte hearings do not behove the EC,'' he said, adding, ``It is not a kangaroo court that passed orders without any hearing.''

Partyvice-president J P Mathur, in fact, virtually accussed the EC of acting a partisan manner. ``I dare it to condemn the attempts made by the Congress to besmirch the reputations of Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj and her husband by linking their names with Romesh Sharma,'' he said.

Just as the BJP's press conference began this afternoon, the Delhi Chief Minister made a dramatic entry at the venue. She swore on the Gita that she had never met Romesh Sharma. She also denied allegations that her husband Swaraj Kaushal had represented him in any case. ``Deliberate attempts are being made to tarnish our reputation,'' she alleged.

She at the same time sought to turn the tables on the Congress. ``Will Sonia Gandhi swear by the Bible that her husband or his family members did not have a relationship with Sharma or can she deny that it was her husband who made him a PCC member? '' she asked.

The beleaguered Delhi Chief Minister also alleged that if a proper investigation was undertaken into the alleged links ofRomesh Sharma, the names of the entire who's who of the Congress will come tumbling out.

The BJP at the same sought to justify the controversial advertisement and its contents. ``Paragraph 1 (2) of the model code of conduct does not bar political parties from criticising other parties regarding their past record and work,'' Naidu pointed out in the letter.

``The facts referred to in the advertisement are correct and reflect the past record and work of the Congress. Many statements have appeared in the press recounting these facts, but so far there has been no denial by the party,'' it added.