Will abide by Election Commission's instruction, says NCP

NEW DELHI: NCP today said it would abide by the instruction of the Election Commission and respond to it in the stipulated time about its leader Sharad Pawar's remarks asking party workers to vote twice in the multi-phase polling in the state by rubbing off the indelible ink.

"We will abide by the instructions of the EC......In my view, 'ink' opinion should not be inked," he said suggesting that the remark should be taken in a lighter vein as clarified by Pawar, party spokesman D P Tripathi told reporters.

Tripathi's remarks came close on the heels of the EC holding that Pawar has prima facie violated the Model Code of Conduct by his 'ink' remark and asked him to explain by 5 PM on Thursday.

Pawar has sought to temper his remarks saying they were made in a "lighter vein".

Pawar, during the conclave of 'mathadi' (head loaders) workers in Navi Mumbai, asked NCP activists to take advantage of the multi-phase polling in the state by voting twice, first at their hometowns and then at places of work.