BJP PM candidate and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi clicks his own picture with a mobile phone during a press conference
The Ahmedabad crime branch on Wednesday registered an FIR against BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for violating the model code following a stern two-page letter from the Election Commission to Gujarat’s chief secretary and Gandhinagar’s director-general of police.
Mr Modi, speaking in Tirupati later, said while people are normally booked for “threatening people with knives, pistols and other deadly weapons, I was booked for showing a lotus to the people”.
Mr Modi, who voted around 9 am in Nishan Vidyalay, Ranip, which falls in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency from where Mr L.K. Advani is seeking re-election, held a brief press conference at the polling booth premises brandishing a white plastic “lotus”, the BJP’s election symbol.
After voting, Mr Modi came out of the booth and gave a photo-op to the assembled photographers by taking a selfie with his inked finger and the “lotus”. He then delivered a message to TV cameras encouraging people to vote, spoke about the nation’s mood and criticised the Congress party.
“Today Gujarat is voting. Other states are voting too. Elections are a festival of democracy. Everyone must join this festival of democracy and strengthen it,” Mr Modi began, and then added, “We have completed six phases of the election process. Today is the seventh phase of polling