Don't blame us for Varun's speech, BJP tells EC

The BJP appears to be distancing itself even more from Varun Gandhi. This follows his hate speech against Muslims in his constituency Pilibhit earlier in March.
While the party has already said it does not stand for the remarks made by Varun, on Friday they went a step further by asking the Election Commission to take back the notice sent to the party since the BJP is not accountable for Varun's views.
However, the party says Varun will be its Pilibhit candidate for now. It also said the Election Commission should get experts to look into Varun's argument that his election speech was morphed. Varun, for his part, has replied to the Election Commission's notice against him. (Watch)All this comes as Varun appears to have avoided arrest for the moment with the Delhi High Court granting him interim anticipatory bail.
Varun Gandhi has also moved the Allahabad high court where he wants the FIR against him to be quashed. That matter come up next week. Meanwhile, BJP sources have told NDTV that Varun has got his reply screened by the BJP experts, who advised him to tone down his reply to the EC.
On Thursday, Varun tried to cover his back, desperately looking for options to avoid arrest.He first petitioned the Allahabad High Court for quashing the FIR against him, and has also filed for anticipatory bail in the Delhi High Court fearing arrest.Meanwhile, the young leader has more to worry about.
There are allegations that Varun and his supporters have been distributing money in Pilibhit where he hopes to contest from.His party, the BJP, has further isolated him, saying he is not their candidate just yet.
Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami has said it's now up to Varun Gandhi to prove that the tapes were doctored.PTI addsUP officials hand over CD to VarunOfficials from Uttar Pradesh on Friday visited the residence of BJP Lok Sabha candidate Varun Gandhi and handed over a copy of the CD containing his hate speech in Pilibhit.
The officials, who were accompanied by a team from Delhi Police, handed over the CD at the residence of his mother and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi, where 29-year-old Varun stays.
The UP officials told reporters that they were on poll duty, but declined to give any details.The Delhi Police team, however, did not enter the residential premises.Varun's office, when contacted, said the officials had come to hand over a CD to the BJP candidate.