Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stood in a queue at a polling station in Ranip area to cast his vote and showed his inked finger to thousands of cheerful supporters who shouted pro-BJP slogans.
Modi, after arriving at the polling booth set up in Nishan High School of Ranip area, which is part of Sabarmati constituency, also bowed to greet his elder brother Somabhai Modi who was present there.
(In pics: When PM Modi cast his vote)
Somabhai Modi lives in the same locality. The Prime Minister then stood in the queue to cast his vote and casually chatted with others waiting for their turn to cast their vote.
After casting the vote, he showed his inked finger to thousands of supporters who had gathered outside and were chanting "Modi...Modi".
The Prime Minister walked some distance to greet the people standing on both sides of the road.
Then he stood on the footboard of his car and waved to the crowd. The PM had in the morning commissioned Scorpene-class submarine Kalvari into the Indian Navy in Mumbai, from where he flew to Gujarat.
However, the PM walking nearly 100-meter walk to reach his official car after voting and waving at the crowd snowballed into a controversy, with the Congress alleging a violation of poll code by the BJP leader.
The Congress alleged that the PM's walk amounts to a "road show" while the state votes in the final phase of assembly elections.
Nikunj Balar, the convener of the Congress' legal cell, said the party lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and the chief electoral officer of Gujarat against Modi's "roadshow".
A separate complaint was also submitted to the Ranip Police, he said.
In response to the Congress's complaint, Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, BB Swain, said an inquiry has been ordered to probe whether there was any violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The complaint was more "anticipatory in nature", he said.
"We have received a complaint regarding MCC violation after casting of vote (by Modi). It was more anticipatory in nature. It said there was a huge crowd (outside the polling booth) and it could turn into a roadshow," Swain said.
"We have handed over the inquiry to the Ahmedabad district election officer (the district collector). Since our MCC team was also present at the booth, it will also give its report. They (the collector and MCC team) are now finalising their overall inquiry report," Swain said.
After an acrimonious campaign, voting for the second and final phase of the Gujarat assembly elections was held today in 93 seats of the north and central Gujarat.
The election is being seen as a "prestige battle" for Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi.
The votes will be counted on December 18.
Interestingly, a majority of exit polls today gave a thumbs-up to the BJP in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
(With PTI inputs)
