In a shocking development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s niece Sonal Modi was not given a ticket to contest the Ahmedabad civic body polls. She had sought BJP nomination to contest the election but failed to get a ticket with the party citing new rules for candidates.
The BJP announced its candidates for the upcoming elections to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), but Sonal Modi’s name was not there in the list. Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Sonal Modi said that she wanted to contest from Bodakdev ward of the AMC. But she was not given a ticket despite being a niece of PM Modi.
Sonal Modi, a homemaker in her late 30s, is the daughter of PM Modi’s brother Prahlad Modi, who owns a fair price shop in the city and is also the president of Gujarat Fair Price Shops Association.
The BJP released its list late in the evening on Thursday but the list did not have the name of Sonal Modi as the candidate from Bodakdev or any other ward of the AMC. Rules are same for everybody, state BJP president C R Paatil said when asked about denial of ticket to Sonal Modi.
The Gujarat BJP recently announced that relatives of party leaders will not be considered for ticket allocation for the upcoming polls. Sonal Modi had, however, claimed she had sought election ticket as a BJP worker, not as the niece of the PM.
“I have sought the ticket in my capacity as a BJP worker not as a relative of the PM. Even if I am not given the ticket, I will remain active in the party as a dedicated worker, Sonal Modi had told reporters.
Prahlad Modi had justified his daughter’s decision, saying all his family members are free to take their own decisions.
“This is not a case of nepotism. My family never used Narendra Modi’s name for our benefit. We all earn our own bread and butter.
“Even I run a ration shop. I have not visited Narendra Modi’s bungalow after he became the PM, let alone my children,” Prahlad Modi had said.
Elections to the half-a-dozen municipal corporations will take place on February 21, while voting for 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats will be held on February 28.
