68.7% turnout in 2nd phase, Cong moves EC over PM’s ‘roadshow’
NEWDELHI: An estimated 68.7% of the registered electorate turned up to vote on Thursday for the second and final round of polling in Gujarat, where a controversy was kicked up over an alleged “roadshow” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after casting his vote.
Modi walked to his convoy after voting and waved to people from his car, prompting the opposition Congress hit out at the Election Commission (EC) for ignoring the PM’s alleged violation of election rules.
The opposition party’s attack — coming a day after its president-elect was issued a notice over a similar violation — was partly aimed at chief election commissioner AK Joti.
“We feel the CEC, who used to be PS (private secretary) to Modiji, though he is now on a constitutional post, is still acting as Modi’s PS,” Surjewala said.
The election commission said the complaint against Modi is being examined.
NEW DELHI: The CPI(M) on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pulling the election campaign in his home state of Gujarat down to the “lowest levels of vituperative communal rhetoric and scare-mongering, targeting Muslims”. In an editorial in the latest edition of party’s weekly newspaper ‘People’s Democracy’, former general secretary Prakash Karat said “The Gujarat election campaign has witnessed the lowest levels of vituperative communal rhetoric and scare-mongering targeting Muslims. The main culprit for this base campaign is Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.” The editorial criticised Modi for his remarks on Pakistan’s alleged role in polls.