PM's visit to Assam on polling day violates MCC: Gogoi

Former Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state for campaigning on polling day is a violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).

Gogoi said this at the DCB Girls High School polling station in Jorhat when he was there to cast his vote.

His son Gaurav Gogoi, a sitting MP, was accompanying him.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi soliciting votes in Assam today when the polling process is on, across five constituencies in the state, is a violation of the MCC," Gogoi said.

He was speaking to reporters as he stood in line to exercise his franchise for the Koliabor parliamentary constituency, which his son, Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, represents.

"Modi could have campaigned tomorrow since no polling is scheduled for the day. Soliciting votes in the name of the martyrs of the Assam Agitation is also an indirect violation of the MCC. The martyrs are ours and not of the BJP," the former chief minister asserted.

Modi is scheduled to address two poll rallies in Assam on Thursday to campaign for the second phase of polling to be held on April 18.

Asked if the BJP was worried about its performance in the state, the veteran Congress leader said, "Yes, otherwise why will the prime minister come here repeatedly. Modi claims himself to be the 'chowkidar' of the country.

"Why could he not take the money from the people who looted the country's money. The BJP speak only about 'acche din' when we want development and progress," Gogoi said.

Polling in Assam is scheduled to take place in three phases.

In the first phase on Thursday, polling for five parliamentary constituencies in Assam, is being held amid tight security.

The Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur Lok Sabha constituencies have an electorate of 76,03,458, including 38,65,334 male, 37,37,970 female and 154 of the third gender, who will decide the fate of 41 candidates.