Keshubhai gets EC notice for violating election code

The Election Commission on Thursday slapped a notice on former Chief Minister and Gujarat Parivartan Party president Keshubhai Patel for violating election code of conduct while going to a polling booth with a pilot car.

Keshubhai, who arrived in Rajkot on Thursday by a helicopter from Visavadar, went straight to polling booth Saraswati Shishu Mandir where he cast his vote. However, the EC took serious note that he had taken along a pilot car with him.

"Using a pilot car to reach to the polling booth is simply a violation of election code of conduct and therefore the EC has served notice to Keshubhai," an election officer said.

Meanwhile, after casting his vote, Keshubhai said, "The wind of change is blowing across the state and the GPP will form the government with absolute majority."

"Some power-greedy leaders are misguiding people by giving false statements but people of the state want a change and the GPP will lead the change," Keshubhai said without taking any names.

The first phase of polling is taking place on Thursday in Saurashtra and south Gujarat and state unit presidents of all the three major parties - R C Faldu (Bharatiya Janata Party), Arjun Modhvadia (Congress) and Keshubhai Patel (GPP) -- are contesting the elections.