Vaghani ban: Congress says EC delayed action under pressure

A day after the Election Commission barred Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani from campaigning for 72 hours for using "intemperate" language, the Congress Wednesday questioned its relevance as the state had already voted in the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress claimed that the poll body delayed the order against Vaghani due to some "pressure".

The EC Tuesday barred the BJP leader from campaigning for 72 hours, with effect from 4 pm on May 2, for using "intemperate and abusive" language during a rally in Surat on April 7. Voting for all the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat was held on April 29 in a single phase.

State Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi alleged that such "delayed action" by the EC proves that it is working under some kind of pressure. When contacted, Vaghani refused to comment.

"After receiving our complaint, the EC should have taken immediate steps to stop Vaghani from campaigning ahead of the April 23 polling. However, it chose to act after elections got over in the state. Had the EC acted in time, it would have given a strong message to the people," said Doshi. PTI PJT PD NSK NSK.