Lok Sabha polls 2014: Narendra Modi's wife, mother exercise their franchise

MEHSANA/ AHMEDABAD: Even as BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi gears up for the big battle in Varanasi after his first Lok Sabha test in Vadodara, his wife Jasodaben and mother Hiraba Modi today exercised their franchise from Mehsana and Gandhinagar parliamentary constituencies.

A retired school teacher, Jashodaben cast her vote in Kot Kuva area of Unjha town in Mehsana district.

Modi for the first time publicly acknowledged Jashodaben as his wife in an affidavit filed by him from Vadodara Lok Sabha seat, which is one of the two constituencies from where he is running for Parliament.

Jashodaben reached a village school to cast her vote accompanied by some of her relatives. However, she avoided speaking to the media and left hurriedly after casting vote.

Modi's marital status became a much talked about topic after it was raked up by opponent political parties, compelling brother Soma Modi to clarify on the issue.

Modi's mother Hiraba voted in a school located at sector 22 area of Gandhinagar. She arrived in an auto-rickshaw to exercise her franchise from Gandhinagar from where BJP veteran leader L K Advani is contesting.

Advani is taking on Congress candidate Kirit Patel and AAP's nominee Rituraj Mehta from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat.