Congress attacks Modi ‘roadshow’

New Delhi/Ahmedabad: High-drama hit the final phase of polling in Gujarat on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned the casting of his vote into what the Congress alleged was a “roadshow” in violation of the model code of conduct.

The Congress, whose president-elect Rahul Gandhi was served a show-cause notice by the Election Commission on Wednesday for violating poll rules by giving a interview to a Gujarati TV channel, also launched an unprecedented attack on the EC and Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti.

While demanding action against PM Modi, the Congress alleged that Mr Joti was behaving like Mr Modi’s principal secretary and accused the EC of acting as a “puppet of the BJP government.” Just after noon on Thursday, Mr Modi reached the Ranip polling booth in Ahmedabad amid applause from the huge crowd that had gathered to see the Prime Minister. After casting his vote, Mr Modi came out of the polling booth and walked down the road for about 100 metres holding up his inked finger to the crowd that roared “Modi, Modi”. He then stood on the side-step of his SUV, which moved slowly through the street for another 800 metres, and waved to the crowd.

Polling was held in 93 seats with 851 candidates in fray. The voter turnout was 68.70 per cent, similar what it was in the first phase of polling on December 9.
 
In Ahmedabad, the Congress filed a complaint with the EC against Mr Modi for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by holding a “roadshow” when voting was underway. In New Delhi, Congress workers took out a protest march against the EC and the Prime Minister’s “roadshow”.

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi, Ashok Gehlot, Congress general secretary in charge of Gujarat, and Randeep Surjewala, communications in-charge, alleged that a “desperate Prime Minister” who is facing “defeat in Gujarat” had flouted the Constitution and the poll code of conduct by holding a “roadshow”.

“If FIR have been ordered against news channels for showing interview of Congress president, why no FIR against the Prime Minister?” the Congress leaders asked.

Reports from Ahmedabad indicated that when Gujarat chief electoral officer B.B. Swain was asked about the complaint lodged by Congress against the Prime Minister, he said, “I will have to look in to it.”

The Congress called the EC a “captive puppet” and a “frontal organisation” which was “prostrating” before the ruling BJP.

The EC, the Congress charged, should be “ashamed” of itself for not maintaining neutrality in the ongoing polls. The “sinking ship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign is being saved by the poll panel”, it added.

In a strongly worded attack specifically on Mr Joti, Mr Surjewala said, “We feel the Chief Election Commissioner, who used to be PS to Modiji, though he is now in a constitutional post, is still acting as Modi’s PS.”

Mr Joti was principal secretary and chief secretary in Gujarat when Narendra Modi was chief minister.

“If the EC is going to become a captive puppet, who will uphold the majesty of the election? That is why, through the media, we are calling upon their conscience to at least wake up now and uphold the Constitution and not act as a subservient wing of the BJP,” Mr Surjewala said.

Leaders of other Opposition parties, which included the NCP, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD, the National Conference and Left parties, joined the chorus and targeted the EC for not acting against the Prime Minister.

Mr Modi had created a similar controversy in 2014 for taking a selfie with his party symbol in the polling booth after casting his vote.

A BJP delegation comprising Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi went to the EC to counter the Congress’ charges. BJP spokesperson G.V.L Narasimha Rao accused the Congress of  “dynastic arrogance” for attacking the EC.