Gujarat polls: Cong files complaint with EC against Cadila chairman

Congress stated that the outgoing Ficci chairman asked to vote in favour of BJP at Gujarat polls at his speech Wednesday evening

As election drama intensifies in battlefield Gujarat, allegations are flying thick. The Gujarat Congress has filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against leading industrialist in the state Pankaj Patel, chairman of pharmaceutical giant Cadila Healthcare and also the outgoing Ficci president. 

In its complaint to the EC, Congress has stated that the outgoing Ficci Chairman Pankaj Patel during his address asked to vote in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It said that the same was telecast on television news channels. This is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct that has set in Gujarat before it goes to polls for the second phase on December 14. 

The EC confirmed that it has received a complaint in this regard. Patel could not be reached for a comment. 

The Congress has also sought immediate suspension of such telecast and asked the EC to register a complaint for violation of Modal code of conduct. 

Patel was present at the Ficci annual general meeting earlier during the day which was also attended by the Prime Minister himself. 

The EC said that it has received the complaint and its officers would look into the legality of the matter. Usually, a first information report (FIR) is filed with the police in such cases.