'I, too, am a BJP worker, hope Narendra Modi wins Lok Sabha election': Kalyan Singh's remarks violated poll code, finds EC

The Election Commission plans to write to President Ram Nath Kovind, bringing to his notice remarks made by Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh about Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, reports say. The panel, reported The Indian Express, has found that Singh’s statement that Modi should be “re-elected” was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. [caption id=“attachment_1682369” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh. Reuters[/caption] Speaking to reporters  in Aligarh on 25 March, the Rajasthan governor had called himself a “Bharatiya Janata Party worker”.

“As a worker of the BJP, I genuinely want the party to win. We want Narendra Modi to once again become the Prime Minister of India. It is important for the nation and society that Narendra Modi become Prime Minister again,” Singh had said.

The Election Commission had sought a factual report from the UP Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on the issue, on 30 March. Singh, who has previously served as Uttar Pradesh chief minister was appointed Rajasthan governor in 2014. A governor’s post is considered a neutral one and the person in office traditionally does not side with any particular political party. Earlier in February, Singh had stated that the time has come to scrap Article 370, which grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, and that only Narendra Modi could do this. “Article 370 encourages separatists. This, in turn, poses a threat to the country’s unity and integrity. Jammu and Kashmir will largely benefit from scrapping Article 370,” he had said. “Nobody other than Narendra Modi is capable enough of doing this,” he had added. With inputs from agencies