PM's niece fails to get BJP ticket to contest civic polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi'sniece Sonal Modi, who had sought BJP nomination to contest theAhmedabad civic body polls, on Thursday failed to get a ticketwith the party citing new rules for candidates.

The BJP announced its candidates for the upcomingelections to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), butSonal Modi's name does not figure in the list.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Sonal Modi had saidshe has sought BJP ticket to contest from Bodakdev ward of theAMC.

Sonal Modi, a homemaker in her late 30s, is thedaughter of PM Modi's brother Prahlad Modi, who owns a fairprice shop in the city and is also the president of GujaratFair Price Shops Association.

The BJP list released late in the evening on Thursdaydoes not have the name of Sonal Modi as the candidate fromBodakdev or any other ward of the AMC.

Rules are same for everybody, state BJP president CR Paatil said when asked about denial of ticket to Sonal Modi.

The Gujarat BJP recently announced that relatives ofparty leaders will not be considered for ticket allocation forthe upcoming polls.

Sonal Modi had, however, claimed she had soughtelection ticket as a BJP worker, not as the niece of the PM.

''I have sought the ticket in my capacity as a BJPworker not as a relative of the PM. Even if I am not given theticket, I will remain active in the party as a dedicatedworker, Sonal Modi had told reporters.

Prahlad Modi had justified his daughter's decision,saying all his family members are free to take their owndecisions.

''This is not a case of nepotism. My family never usedNarendra Modi's name for our benefit. We all earn our ownbread and butter.

''Even I run a ration shop. I have not visited NarendraModi's bungalow after he became the PM, let alone mychildren,'' Prahlad Modi had said.

The BJP's state parliamentary board on Thursdayfinalised candidates for the six municipal corporations.

A list of 576 BJP candidates for the poll-boundcorporations Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagarand Bhavnagar was released.

On February 1, the BJP had said it will not givetickets to relatives of ruling party leaders.

Also, the BJP had said it will not consider partyworkers who are above the age of 60 and those who havefinished three terms as councillors for tickets.

Elections to the half-a-dozen municipal corporationswill take place on February 21, while voting for 81municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 talukapanchayats will be held on February 28.