Chandrababu Naidu may see vote axed for not maintaining secrecy

The election authorities have ordered a probe against TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, who did not maintain secrecy after casting his vote here Wednesday, and indicated the vote may be deleted.

Chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal said he had directed the returning officer of Khairatabad assembly constituency to submit a report.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief told reporters that he cast his vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Under the alliance with the BJP, we cast both the votes (for assembly and Lok Sabha seats) for the lotus," the former chief minister said after he, his wife, son and daughter-in-law polled their votes at Jubliee Hills, which falls under Khairatabad constituency, a part of Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

When a reporter asked Bhanwarlal about this, he said the vote will be deleted after receiving a report from the polling officer.

"Secrecy of vote has to be maintained whoever may be the great person. Every voter has to maintain secrecy as it comes under the conduct of elections rules," he said.

The Election Commission in New Delhi Wednesday directed Gujarat authorities to lodge a police complaint against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for displaying a paper lotus near a polling booth in Gandhinagar, thus violating the Model Code of Conduct.