Ashok Gehlot Faces BJP Accusations of Model Code Breach as Polling Date Shifts

Ahead of the upcoming state polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Rajasthan's Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, of breaching the Model Code of Conduct by allegedly utilizing official staff for political meetings. Arun Chaturvedi, a prominent Rajasthan BJP leader, asserted that Gehlot had violated the code by taking his secretary in a government vehicle while heading to a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

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Ahead of the upcoming state polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Rajasthan's Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, of breaching the Model Code of Conduct by allegedly utilizing official staff for political meetings. Arun Chaturvedi, a prominent Rajasthan BJP leader, asserted that Gehlot had violated the code by taking his secretary in a government vehicle while heading to a meeting with Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

Chaturvedi, who previously served as the BJP chief in Rajasthan, emphasized Gehlot's recent trip to meet Sonia Gandhi, during which he purportedly used a government vehicle to transport his secretary, a clear infringement of the Model Code of Conduct. The BJP leader also claimed that Gehlot has been routinely employing official staff for political engagements, which contradicts Election Commission regulations.

Chaturvedi pointed out, "Election Commission rules stipulate that ministers are not allowed to have their staff accompany them for political work." He further highlighted various appointments and announcements made during the code's enforcement that he believed were blatant violations.

The BJP is now gearing up to file a formal complaint with the Election Commission, with the primary objective of removing Ashok Gehlot's photographs from government scheme promotional materials, electricity bills, guarantee cards, government leaflets, and smartphones.

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In a parallel development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) recently modified the polling date for the Rajasthan Assembly Election. Originally scheduled for November 23, the polling date has been rescheduled to November 25. The change was attributed to concerns about "large-scale weddings."

The Election Commission's official notification stated, "Subsequently, representations have been received in the Commission from various political parties, social organizations, and also issues raised in various media platforms for a change of the poll date, considering large-scale weddings and social engagements on that day, which may cause inconvenience to a large number of people, various logistic issues, and may lead to reduced voter participation during the poll."