Chidambaram takes a dig at govt, EC over Gujarat poll dates, Rupani hits back

Congress leader says poll dates will be revealed once the BJP-run government completes announcing sops

Senior Congress leader took aim early on Friday at the Election Commission and at the Union government over the delay in the announcement of the election schedule for Gujarat, drawing a rebuke from chief minister Vijay Rupani.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram made the remarks on Twitter. (PTI file)

“EC has authorised PM to announce date of Gujarat elections at his last rally (and kindly keep EC informed),” he said deridingly in posts on Twitter from his verified @PChidambaramIN handle.

Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are the next to go for state elections, and the Election Commission announced the dates for Himachal last week. Its decision not to announce the Gujarat polls — announcements put in force an election code that prohibits governments from announcing measures that could sway opinion in their favour — prompted the BJP’s rivals to allege that the delay was engineered to give the ruling party an edge.

“I think Chidambaram and the entire Congress are scared of the upcoming #Gujarat elections,” news agency ANI quoted chief minister Rupani as saying in reaction to Chidambaram’s tweets.