PM Modi Lookalike’s ‘One Vote, One Note’ Slogan Violates MCC : EC

Pathak has been served notice for violating the poll code over what he calls is his slogan – “one vote, one note”.

PM Modi’s lookalike Abhinandan Pathak.

(Photo: The Quint)

A Narendra Modi lookalike who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections has been served notice for violating the poll code over what he calls is his slogan – "one vote, one note".

Abhinandan Pathak filed his nomination papers from Lucknow on Friday as an Independent candidate and said he would also contest Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After filing his nomination, he told the media that his slogan was "one note, one vote".

In a notice served to Pathak Friday evening, District Magistrate Kaushalraj Sharma said that the slogan appeared to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and amounts to "luring electorate for votes".

“Pathak has been given 24 hours time to reply to the notice after receiving it. In absence of the reply, FIR under relevant sections will be lodged against him,” the DM, also the returning officer, said.

“A Serious Candidate, Not a Dummy One”

After challenging Home Minister Rajnath Singh, sitting MP and BJP candidate, who is yet to file his nomination from Lucknow, Pathak said that he would also file a nomination from Varanasi on 26 April.

Claiming that he was a “serious candidate and not the dummy one”, Pathak stated that he was against ‘jumla’ (gimmick) and that, after winning, “I would support Rahul Gandhi’s PM’s candidature” .

Pathak bears a strong resemblance to PM Modi. He dresses and speaks like Modi and even begins his speeches with 'Mitron' (friends), the pet word the PM uses frequently to address his audiences.

A resident of Saharanpur, Pathak was with the BJP-led NDA constituent Republican Party of India (Athawale) as its state vice-president for Uttar Pradesh till he joined the Congress last month.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, there were several lookalikes of Modi, including Pathak, who were seen in different places across the country during election campaigns.

However, Pathak had actively campaigned for the Congress in the run-up to the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh last year, holding meetings in a number of seats in the state, including Jagdalpur, Dantewada, Kondagaon and Bastar.

Lucknow, from where Pathak has filed his nomination, will vote in the fifth phase of the elections on May 6.