Congress' Varanasi candidate flaunts party symbol at booth

Varanasi, May 12 (IANS) Ajay Rai, Congress candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi parliamentary constituency, Monday courted controversy when he walked into a polling station to vote with the party symbol tucked on his kurta.

Election law bans the use of any party symbol within 100 metres of the poll station. Officials in the district say the Congress candidate had indeed violated the law.

Dressed in a cream coloured kurta and payjama, Rai walked into the polling station early in the day to cast his vote.

He was accompanied by his wife and he spoke to reporters within 10 metres of the polling station, which again is a breach of law.

Senior district officials told IANS that the returning officer has sought video footage and that action would follow soon.

An FIR was lodged against Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi when he addressed a presser outside a polling station in Gandhinagar and had clicked a selfie with the lotus party symbol in his hand.

The district administration had then clarified that Modi was well outside the 100 metre banned distance when the press conference took place.

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, who is the party's candidate from Varanasi, told reporters that Rai had clearly violated the law.