The Election Commission said it will look into whether interviews given by Congress President-elect Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday violated the Model Code of Conduct in effect in Gujarat, ANI reported.
In an interview to TV channel Gujarat Samachar, Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for insulting his predecessor Manmohan Singh instead of talking about peopleтАЩs concerns while campaigning in the state. Soon after, the Bharatiya Janata Party filed a complaint with the Election Commission, saying an interview was a form of campaigning, which is not allowed 48 hours before elections, The Times of India reported.
The second and last phase of the Gujarat elections will be held on Thursday.
тАЬWe got a complaint regarding the telecast of an interview,тАЭ BB Swain, the chief electoral officer for the Gujarat polls, said, according to ANI. тАЬWe have collected the DVDs and will look into whether it has violated the rules.тАЭ
In the interview, Gandhi accused Modi of тАЬevading issues of the peopleтАЭ and said he тАЬlacks a vision for GujaratтАЭ. тАЬThat is why the PM is not talking about issues…just roaming around here and there instead,тАЭ he said. тАЬNo talk about farmersтАЩ issues, nothing.тАЭ
When Gandhi was asked whether the BJP was тАЬafraid of a new RahulтАЭ, he said the party was тАЬscared of the voice of GujaratтАЭ. He also denied getting a makeover, saying: тАЬPeople are finally able to see the real me. The truth about Rahul Gandhi has been distorted by money and BJP workers.тАЭ
After the BJPтАЩs complaint to the poll panel, the Congress said the party was тАЬattempting to usurp the role of the Election CommissionтАЭ by тАЬthreatening media housesтАЭ. тАЬWe urge the EC to take action and uphold the sanctity of its institution,тАЭ the Congress said.
In threatening media houses, BJP is attempting to usurp the role of the Election Commission. We urge the EC to take action and uphold the sanctity of its institution. pic.twitter.com/SKbuoZ9Cqa
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 13, 2017
