An independent candidate Saturday raised objections over Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s nomination from Amethi, alleging discrepancies over citizenship and educational qualifications in his election affidavit.
Citing the complaint, the BJP said in New Delhi asked Gandhi to come clean on the matter.
Complainant Dhruv Raj’s lawyer Ravi Prakash showed reporters purported copies of a certificate of incorporation of a UK-registered company in which the Congress leader is stated to be a British national.
The returning officer (RO) has asked Rahul Kaushik, the Congress leader’s counsel, to give his reply on Monday at 10.30 am.
Ravi Prakash claimed that the UK Company had existed for five years and would have made some profit, but that has not been disclosed in the affidavit.
He told reporters that he has urged the returning officer to look into this aspect.
Ravi Prakash said he has sought a clarification on Gandhi’s citizenship as being a UK citizen would bar him from fighting the Lok Sabha elections.
Yogendra Misra, the president of the district Congress unit, said the objections will be countered legally on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Lu said he has sought information on the complaint from the district election authorities. In Delhi, BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said it is “stunning” that Gandhi’s lawyer sought time to reply to the objections.