Varanasi:
In Varanasi, the most high-profile battle in this election, the Election Commission is investigating whether parties broke the rules and lobbied with religious clerics after campaigning officially ended on Saturday evening. Last evening, the Mufti Board of Varanasi issued a written appeal asking voters to support a candidate. Bulk sms-es were sent out in favour of a different candidate today, though it's not clear who is behind those.
Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, is contesting his first national election from the holy city, which votes today along with 40 other parliamentary constituencies. His chief challenger is Arvind Kejriwal, chief of the Aam Aadmi Party. Also in the contest is Ajay Rai, a local legislator fielded by the Congress.
Praveen Kumar, a Special Observer appointed for Varanasi by the Election Commission, has said about the appeal made by the Mufti Board Benaras Secretary Maulana Haseem Ahmad Habibi and the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Badshahbagh, "The issue needs to be examined and we will look into the statements."
Campaigning ended at 6 pm on Saturday. Vote appeals are not allowed thereafter.
Muslims account for about 15 per cent of the total electorate of Varanasi. The BJP is counting on that vote being split between Mr Kejriwal and the Congress.
Mukhtar Ansari, the jailed mafia don who heads the Quami Ekta Manch and who had come a close second to the BJP in 2009, did not contest the elections this time. He said he was backing the Congress' Ajay Rai to ensure that the "secular vote is not split."
On Sunday, Shahar-e-Mufti Maulana Abdul Batin, another influential cleric, told the media that Muslims should ensure there is no division of votes and "communal forces are defeated."
He, however, refused to directly endorse any of the candidates.