BJP attacks EC on Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Varanasi

New Delhi: BJP hit out at the Election Commission for allowing Rahul Gandhi to hold a road show in a Varanasi area on Saturday where Narendra Modi was refused permission for a rally, saying it was done for "political reasons".

BJP leader Arun Jaitley termed it as a "big blot" on the electoral process that a Prime Ministerial candidate was not allowed to hold a rally in his area.

"The (Rahul Gandhi) roadshow is happening at a place where we were denied permission for holding a rally. This proves that there was no security reason and it was because of political reasons we were now allowed to hold the rally," he told reporters.

He said the "Election Commission has to live with the fact that the whatever security reasons are there in Beniabagh, only apply to the BJP and not to the other parties."

Jaitley was reacting to the Rahul Gandhi road show in Varanasi.

"Rahul ji can hold 50 roadshows. No issue. But denying us permission and allowing him is wrong," party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said.

BJP leader Muktar Abbas Naqvi said in a tweet, "Rahul's farewell road show is happening in the area where Modi ji was not allowed to hold a rally. One more biased conduct of Varanasi RO."

Days after Narendra Modi took on Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, the Congress Vice President retaliated by campaigning on the last day in this temple town, where the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate is in the fray.

Modi had addressed a rally in Amethi, where Rahul has been challenged by BJP's Smriti Irani, on the last day of campaigning there on May 5 and had made a stinging attack on the Gandhi family.

BJP also played down the fact that Ustad Bismillah Khan's kin had performed during Rahul's roadshow. The party said the family members of late shehnai maestro are apolitical and had performed during a dinner in favour of Narendra Modi last night at a hotel where BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Amit Shah were also present.