Gujarat Speaker seeking votes: Cong complains to EC, BJP says not its event

THE GUJARAT Congress has complained to the Election Commission seeking “immediate action” against Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary for allegedly “canvassing for the BJP” in Banaskantha. The BJP hit back saying the beleaguered grand old party is trying to damage the dignified post of the Assembly Speaker and that the event the Congress is referring to was not a “party programme”.

While Chaudhary told The Indian Express that there is no constitutional or legal provision barring the Speaker from poll campaigns, he did not elaborate if the said event was a party programme. The Congress complaint, dated April 11, accused Chaudhary of campaigning for BJP candidate Rekha Chaudhary at Vav and Tharad in Banaskantha. The party maintained that the Assembly Speaker ceases to be a member of any political party from the day he is appointed to the post and hence, cannot canvass for any party. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson Manish Doshi also attached purported videos of the campaign with the complaint.

In the video, the Speaker can be seen addressing a gathering and saying, “The lead the Congress is hoping to get in the district (Banaskantha), the BJP candidate will get more than that. I can forecast about these two talukas (Vav and Danta) and mark my words. Danta and Vav will have unexpected results,” the Tharad legislator can be heard saying.

“Speaker Shankarbhai Chaudhary has violated the principles of Parliamentary Traditions and Procedures Parti Chapter IX. Therefore, immediate action should be ordered to be restrained from taking any political campaigning in ensuing parliament election 2024," the Congress complaint states, adding, “As per Model Code of Conduct, constitutional post holders cannot participate in campaigning or canvassing for any political party”.

Elections to all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in the third phase on May 7.

Speaker Shankar Chaudhary