BJP protests in Delhi against poll panel

BJP activists Thursday protested outside the Election Commission's office here following the poll panel's refusal to let the party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi hold a rally in Varanasi.

The protesters, led by party leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Venkaiah Naidu, Meenakshi Lekhi and Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan, submitted a memorandum to the EC demanding the Varanasi election officer's removal.

"We have given a memorandum to the EC... we want the election officer of Varanasi to be removed," Harsh Vardhan told IANS.

The protesters wearing saffron caps and holding posters and banners that criticised the poll panel were not allowed to go beyond the Planning Commission office, which is a few hundred metres away from the Election Commission office by Delhi Police personnel.

A similar protest took place in Varanasi as well where thousands participated.

The Gujarat chief minister - who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi in the Lok Sabha election due Monday - was to hold two rallies in Varanasi - in Rohaniya and Benia Bagh.

According to the party, one of two rallies in Rohaniya was held after the poll panel's green signal at the eleventh hour on the recommendation of the Varanasi authorities. Modi was also allowed to take part in the 'Ganga Arti' on the banks of the holy river.

BJP general secretary Amit Shah said as the approvals came too late, they had no time to prepare for the other events besides the Rohaniya rally, so the other progammes had been spiked.