Congress cries foul as Modi appeals voters for BJP mandate

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Congress cries foul as Modi appeals voters for BJP mandate

In a video message, Modi spoke about how the voters in the previous phases of polling had exercised their franchise in large numbers and and urged voters in the 41 constituencies voting on Monday to do the same.

By Sonny Abraham

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Published: Wed 14 May 2014, 1:12 AM

Last updated: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 5:51 PM

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi reached out to voters once again on polling day on Monday, this time through a video message that was telecast on several television channels, and the Congress promptly cried foul, urging the Election Commission to act against him.

Varanasi, from where Modi was contesting, and 40 other constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal went to the polls today in the ninth and final phase of polling.

“How can the channels show Modi’s speech today in violation of the code of conduct? Election Commission should take cognisance immediately,” Congress leader Ajay Maken said on micro-blogging site Twitter after television channels showed the video message.

Modi posted a link to the video on Twitter. “All those voting in today’s phase- Have you voted? If not please go to the polling booth! Sharing my video message,” he said.

In the nearly seven-minute message, Modi spoke about how the voters in the previous phases of polling had exercised their franchise in large numbers and and urged voters in the 41 constituencies voting on Monday to do the same. He urged them to vote for the country, its progress and prosperity and for the future of its people.

Modi also spoke about his constituency Varanasi and urged the people to maintain their traditional “Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb” while voting. He also referred to the Ganga river.

“In the end, India should win, democracy should win, the people should win, the voter should win,” he said.

On April 30, when polling was going on in Gujarat and some other parts of the country, Modi, after casting his vote at a polling station, addressed the media and spoke for several minutes, holding the BJP’s election symbol, ‘Lotus’ prominently in his hand. In that case, the Commission had ordered the filing of a first information report (FIR) against Modi.

On April 24, again a polling day, he had taken part in a massive road show on his way to the Varanasi election office to file his nomination papers from there. The event was telecast for hours on television and he had addressed the media on that occasion, too.

On April 7, the first day of polling, the BJP released its election manifesto in a widely televised event.

Section 126 of the Representation of Peoples (RP) Act prohibits certain activities during the 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of poll.

Under this, no person shall convene, hold or attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election; or display to the public any election matter by means of cinematograph, television or other similar apparatus; or propagate any election matter to the public by holding, or by arranging the holding of, any musical concert or any theatrical performance or any other entertainment or amusement with a view to attracting the members of the public during the 48-hour period.

The expression “election matter” means any matter intended or calculated to influence or affect the result of an election.

news@khaleejtimes.com


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