'Roadshow', chants & cheers as PM Modi votes, Congress calls EC a puppet

Narendra Modi showed his inked finger and waved to people waiting in line to see him at the polling booth.

AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday cast his vote in Gujarat for assembly elections in his home state. He reached the polling booth at Ranip amid huge applause from a flood of people standing in line waiting for Modi to arrive.

As soon as he reached the booth, he touched his elder brother's feet and stood in the queue waiting for his turn to cast the vote. After he came out, he showed his inked finger to cameras and people alike. His voting looked nothing less than a mini-roadshow with people cheering and applauding the Prime Minister.

#WATCH Ahmedabad: PM Narendra Modi leaves after casting his vote at booth number 115 in Sabarmati's Ranip locality. #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/cRqbmApgMv — ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2017

Witnessing the pomp and show, the Congress has knocked the door of the Election Commission calling it a violation of the model of conduct. The Congress has accused Modi of holding a roadshow to influence the voters in the state.

The son of soil, the Prime Minister Of India Shri @narendramodi while casting his vote. pic.twitter.com/ZmZbcesGNe

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) December 14, 2017

"Election Commission has become a puppet and constitutional norms are being violated. What is the reason that Amit Shah addressed the press meet at a public place like Ahmedabad airport, yet the Election Commission did not say anything. We demand that if EC has any shame for their position and Constitution, they need to act," Randeep Surjewala alleged adding that the poll panel has become a frontal organisation of the BJP.

"We would like to tell Modiji that roadshows and seaplanes won't change the Gujarat verdict," he added.

Recalling Modi's speech at the FICCI on Thursday, he said that the PM used FICCI for political purposes and alleged that the EC never did anything.

However, the BJP is claiming that it was not an organised event but people had gathered there due to the curiosity that people had in Modi.

Modi giving vote in Gujarat brings back memories of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when he took a selfie with the BJP symbol after casting his vote and even gave a speech at the poll booth. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Election Commission had then filed an FIR against Modi.