Though the BJP distanced itself from statements made by VHP leader Praveen Togadia and BJP candidate Giriraj Singh, its allies and rivals condemned them.
Bhavnagar District Collector and Returning Officer P K Solanki said, “An FIR has been filed against him [Mr. Togadia] under Sections 153(A), 153(B) and under 188 for violating notification of the Election Commission.”
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley cautioned the party’s well-wishers to “exercise utmost restraint and concentrate on the issue of governance.” He said any statement to the contrary would only help rivals. Writing in his campaign diary, Mr. Jaitley said the momentum was with the party and the acceptability of its leader was also high, as against the Congress campaign which is “abstract and confused.’’
Y. Mallikarjun reports from Hyderabad:
At a rally which was attended by TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and film star and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, Mr. Modi said black money stashed away abroad would be brought back if the NDA returned to power and it would be used for the welfare of the poor and to reward honest income-tax payers. (With inputs from PTI)
