As the 2019 Lok Sabha elections wound to a close, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday deplored the Election Commission for its alleged “capitulation” before Prime Minister Narendra Modi “and his gang”, which he said was obvious to everyone.
Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress and Telugu Desam Party, have written to the Election Commission against the Prime Minister's visit to Uttarakhand and his praying at the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines and meditating there draped in saffron, as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, as campaigning for the last phase had officially ended.
“The EC used to be feared and respected. Not anymore,” said Rahul Gandhi.
“From Electoral Bonds & EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, “Modi’s Army” & now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission’s capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians.
Modi thanked the Election Commission for permitting him to visit the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath and taking a break from the gruelling election campaign.
The Election Commission gave its nod to Modi's visit while "reminding" the Prime Minister's Office that the model code of conduct is still in force.
Polling for the seventh and the last phase of the general election was held Sunday.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against the Prime Minister for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on polling day.
"Though the campaign for the last phase of polling for 2019 Lok Sabha elections got over on May 17 at 6 p.m., Narendra Modi's Kedarnath Yatra is being covered and widely reported in local media as well as the national for the last two days. This is a gross violation of the Model Code Of Conduct," said Derek O'Brien, leader of the TMC Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha.
Opposition leader and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu Sunday wrote to the Election Commission, claiming that "continuous" telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "private activities" at Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines is violation of the poll code and should be stopped.
