New Delhi:
A Congress delegation led by Law Minister Kapil Sibal has petitioned the Election Commission to take action against
Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, for having furnished "false affidavits" and concealing his marital status in previous elections.
On Wednesday, Mr Modi, in his poll affidavit as the BJP's candidate from Vadodara in Gujarat, wrote the name "Jashodaben" in the column for spouse - a field he had left blank in assembly elections he contested in the past. Jashodaben Chimanlal is a retired schoolteacher who Mr Modi had married as a teen. They separated soon after.
Mr Sibal said today, "In elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012 he (Mr Modi) did not disclose his marital status, which is required by the law... So we asked the Election Commission to take appropriate action against him." (
Highlights of Kapil Sibal's press conference)
The Law Minister rejected the BJP's contention that this is a personal matter. "The voter wants to know all relevant facts which he did not disclose earlier... an aspirant for prime minister must have forthrightness and integrity," he said. (
India Votes: full coverage)
In an early indication today that the Congress would launch an all-out attack on Mr Modi, Congress vice president
Rahul Gandhi said at a rally in Jammu and Kashmir, "We don't know how many elections he has fought, but for the first time he has written that he is married. In Delhi, they talk about respecting women... but his wife's name never found its way into the affidavit." (
Read: Rahul Gandhi targets Narendra Modi over admission of marriage)
Soon after, Mr Modi made the surprise entry in his nomination papers, his older brother Somabhai Damodar Modi said in a statement that his marriage to Jashodaben four decades ago was a formality and he gave it up to serve the country. (
Read: Gujarat Congress wants Narendra Modi's nomination in Vadodara cancelled)
The BJP has warned the Congress that it must not "get into these personal matters." Senior leader Venkaiah Naidu said today, "This will boomerang on the Congress. People will swing more towards Modi." (
Read: Modi has never lied on his marital status, says BJP)
Jashodaben, 62, lives with her brother in a village in western Gujarat and is reportedly on a pilgrimage at present.