Guj Elections: PM Modi Raises Eyebrows With Polling Day ‘Roadshow’

Congress alleged that the Election Commission’s “blatant one sidedness... raises lots of questions”.

PM Modi after casting his vote on 14 December.

(Photo Courtesy: @BJP4India/Twitter)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote amid pomp and show in Sabarmati's Ranip locality on Thursday, 14 December.

Upon arriving in Ahmedabad, the PM was welcomed by a large crowd that cheered him on waving BJP flags.

After casting his vote, he held up his inked finger for the photographers before embarking on a “roadshow” in the streets of Ahmedabad, even as voters in the state queued up for the second and final phase of polling.

Pm Modi waits in line to cast his vote in Ahmedabad.

PM Modi walks out of the polling booth flaunting his inked finger.

(Photo Courtesy: @BJP4India/Twitter)

Terming the “roadshow” a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted that the “double standards” of the EC will be exposed soon.

Congress Cries Foul

Party’s spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted that EC’s “blatant one sidedness... raises lots of questions”.

“What About the Rahul Gandhi Interviews?”

A day before, TV networks and the Congress were censured by the EC after the BJP complained that the airing of Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi's interviews were in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The poll body directed Gujarat’s Chief Election Officer to file an FIR against channels in the state that telecast the interview.

Surjewala said the EC action against news channels went against the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution. Congress also requested the poll body to immediately withdraw its order directing registration of an FIR.

The Congress submitted a memorandum saying:

In case the yardstick of violation of Model Code of Conduct is to be applied as is being done by EC order, register an FIR against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP state president Jeetu Vaghani and other BJP leaders for flouting the Model Code of Conduct.