The Congress on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the model code of conduct by leading a roadshow before voting in the Gujarat Assembly election.
Modi cast his vote at a polling station in Ahmedabad in the morning. The second phase of the election was held today in 93 constituencies.
Visuals by ANI showed Modi waving to citizens as he walked to the polling booth.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that the prime minister held a roadshow for two-and-a-half hours, thus violating the election guidelines.
“You [media] have your compulsions, so you show it live,” Khera remarked at a press conference. “But what is the compulsion of the Election Commission that it sees it live, and yet remains silent?”
The Congress spokesperson said that the party has been making representations to the poll panel about alleged violations of the model code of conduct every two or three days, but it has not taken any action.
Khera said that visuals aired by media channels of Modi’s visit to the polling station constituted free publicity for the BJP for three hours.
The chief of the BJP’s Gujarat unit CR Paatil claimed that no roadshow took place in Ahmedabad on Monday, and asserted that Modi respects the Election Commission’s regulations. “He did not go to the polling station in his own car despite security considerations,” he said. “Even in the midst of such tight security, he preferred not to sit in his car.”
Patil said that Modi did not speak to anyone after casting his vote, and did not address the media.
Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kuldeep Arya said that the poll panel sought an immediate report on the matter from the election officer in Ahmedabad, ANI reported.
“As per the report it doesn’t get established that it was a roadshow and crowd was there on its own,” he said.
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