Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of the BJP was accused by the Aam Aadmi Party of violating the election code of conduct as he went to vote during the 2022 Uttarakhand elections on Monday, 14 February.
Dhami and his wife were captured posing with Bharatiya Janata Party's symbol outside the polling booth in his constituency Khatima.
In photos shared online, including ones posted by the Twitter handle of Dhami himself, the CM and his wife could be seen openly donning BJP scarves, colours, and badges while voting continued for Uttarakhand's legislative assembly elections.
The objections were raised by AAP candidate SS Kaler, who is contesting against Dhami in Khatima constituency.
Dhami’s media adviser Vishwas Dobhal denied the allegations, Hindustan Times reported.
"Dhami is the chief minister. Wherever he goes people gather around him. He is not campaigning. He is visiting polling booths like any other political leader," he was quoted as saying in HT.
According to the Election Commission's manual on model code of conduct, party symbols, including posters, flags, symbols or any other material symbolic of the party cannot be displayed around polling booths on the day of the voting.
Many other BJP workers were also seen wearing party scarves on Monday.
Polling authorities or security personnel, however, refrained from taking action to stop the BJP leaders from flaunting their party, NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party accused Dhami of distributing money outside the polling booths, saying that he was caught 'red-handed', and urged EC to take appropriate action.
The Aam Aadmi Party has also complained to the Election Commission and has asked for the incumbent chief minister's candidature for the 2022 assembly election to be cancelled.
(With inputs from NDTV and Hindustan Times)
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