PM Narendra Modi. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has sought postponement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Baghpat on Sunday, saying the eastern peripheral expressway he is scheduled to inaugurate there besides addressing a meeting may influence the Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll a day later.
RLD spokesman Anil Dubey said he wrote to Uttar Pradesh’s chief electoral officer (CEO) on Tuesday and said Modi’s visit to Baghpat has been planned to influence the by-election.
“BJP has been urging people from villages falling under Kairana Lok Sabha constituency to attend Modi’s public meeting,” he said.
Dubey said Modi may announce schemes related to the constituency and influence the by-election in Kairana, which is 70 km from Baghpat.
Deputy chief electoral officer (CEO) Ratnesh Singh said they sought a report from Baghpat district magistrate (DM) Rishirendra Kumar after receiving the RLD’s complaint. Kumar said he had no confirmation about Modi’s visit to the district. The CEO is likely to reject the complaint, saying the election model code of conduct that would bar Modi from making any announcements is not applicable in Baghpat district.
“The DM stated in his report that the model code of conduct has not been invoked in the district. Since it is not applicable in Baghpat, there is no point of taking any action as per the complaint and it would be rejected,” Singh said.
Bypolls to Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur assembly seats will be held on Monday. The opposition parties — RLD and SP — have closed ranks against BJP for the bypolls to replicate their successes in earlier bypolls.
BJP’s Baghpat president Sanjay Kokhar said around two lakh people were expected to attend Modi’s meeting. “We have been preparing for the event for the last five days,” Kokhar said.