Priyanaka Gandhi's secretary asked to leave Amethi

AMETHI: Priyanka Gandhi's secretary Preeti Sahay was today asked to leave Amethi after BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that she was trying to influence voters in the constituency.

On the complaint of BJP candidate Smriti Irani, Sahay was asked to leave the constituency as her presence was against the rules, District Electoral Officer Jagat Raj Tripathi said.

Irani and Priyanka's secretary had entered in a verbal duel today as the former objected to her presence at one of the booths in Jagdishpur area here.

Following the incident, BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission on the presence of Sahay at a polling booth at Thori village in Jagdishpur area here, alleging that she was trying to influence the voters.

"When Irani reached booth number 210 and 211 at Thori village in Jagdishpur village, she saw Sahay at the booth. Irani asked her for the pass which she could not produce. Sahay being an outsider should not have entered the booth," Ashok Patel, PRO of Irani told reporters.

The District Electoral Officer said, "We have received a complaint from Irani. Prima facie we found that both the persons were wrong in their own places. While Sahay should not have been inside the booth, Irani also misbehaved inside the booth. Sahay has been asked to leave the constituency."

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate of Amethi has informed the Election Commission in Delhi that Sahay has agreed to leave the constituency.

Another complaint was filed by BJP at Gunnaur village in Musafirkhana area where it alleged that some youths carrying over Rs one lakh were distributing the money among the voters.

"Two boys have been detained. We have not recovered any cash from them but questioning is going on," Superintendent of Police Hira Lal said.

The detention of the two youths resulted in tense moments at the polling booths and police had to resort to light lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

In the lathi charge, a BJP polling agent, Hari Shankar Singh, was injured, police sources said.

AAP candidate Kumar Vishwas has also alleged that " Congress has lost its ground in Amethi and its gunda type elements are beating the AAP activists and trying to derail smooth polling, and the arrival of Rahul on polling day has proved his defeat by a large margin."

Polling is going on at 1246 booths at this prestigious constituency which is seeing a contest between Congress Vice- President Gandhi, TV actress-turned-politician Irani who is contesting on BJP ticket and Aam Admi Party's Kumar Vishwas.

Meanwhile, in the nearby Sultanpur constituency, from where Rahul's cousin Varun Gandhi is contesting on BJP ticket, some party workers alleged that police were interfering in their work.

"I just told them to do their work and let the workers do their work. There was nothing else," Varun Gandhi said.