Mistry arrested for removing Modi poster

The Congress’ Vadodara candidate Madhusudan Mistry was detained on Thursday after he attempted to remove posters of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Modi, too, is contesting from Vadodara. 

Mistry tried to remove a hoarding opposite the local Congress office with party workers. He was later released on bail.

Mistry and his supporters refused to leave after failing to remove the hoarding, necessitating police intervention.

Congress workers alleged that there were 1,000 hoardings featuring Modi on all major roads across Vadodara. 

The BJP had booked all major advertisement kiosks and hoardings covering all prime-locations across Vadodara around 18 days ago, said officials in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC).

When Mistry was declared the Congress candidate, he insisted on being given equal share of hoardings or kiosks.

The VMC permitted Mistry to set up posters and messages on kiosks and hoardings operated by private contractors. 

“The contractors showed 3,000 other spots where Madhusudan Mistry could place his posters. However, Mistry insisted that he should get hoardings only at prime locations in the city and 50 per cent of Modi’s hoardings should be removed to give the Congress campaign a space,’’ said an official of the VMC. Mistry had filed a complaint before the district level election commission officer in this regard.