Lucknow: A lookalike of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections has been served a notice for violating the poll code over his slogan – “one vote, one note”, news agency PTI reported.
Abhinandhan Pathak filed his papers from Lucknow as an independent candidate on Friday. He said he would also fight from Varanasi, represented by PM Modi. He then told reporters that his slogan was “one vote, one note”.
In the notice served to Mr Pathak on Friday, district magistrate Kaushalraj Sharma said the slogan appeared to be in violation of the election code as it could be seen as “luring the electorate for votes”.
“Pathak has been given 24 hours to reply to the notice. In absence of the reply, FIR under relevant sections will be lodged against him,” said Mr Sharma, who is also the returning officer, according to PTI.
After challenging Home Minister Rajanth Singh, who is yet to file his nomination from Lucknow for the BJP, Mr Pathak said he would also file a nomination from Varanasi on April 26.
Claiming himself to be a “serious candidate and not a dummy one”, Mr Pathak said he was against “jumla” (gimmick). “I would support Rahul Gandhi’s PM’s candidature,” he added.
Mr Pathak bears resemblance to PM Modi as he dresses and speaks like the Prime Minister and even begins his speech with “mitron” (friends).
A resident of Saharanpur, Mr Pathak was with the NDA’s constituent Republican Party of India (Athawale) as its state vice president for Uttar Pradesh till he joined the Congress last month.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, several lookalikes of the Prime Minister, including Mr Pathak, were seen across the country during campaigns.
Mr Pathak had campaigned for the Congress in the run-up to the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh last year.
Lucknow will vote on May 6. The results of the seven-phase national elections will be out on May 23.
