EC seeks report on CJ Chavda's 56-inch remark

The election authorities have sought a report after Congress candidate from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat CJ Chavda made comments mocking 56-inch chest.

Speaking at an election rally in Sanand on Thursday evening, the Congress leader said that a mule has a 56-inch chest. "An elephant's chest is 108 inch. A camel has a 90-inch chest, while the horse has between 72-80 inch. The chest of the Indian wild ass is 62 inch. It is a mule which has a 56-inch chest," Chavda, who is MLA from Gandhinagar North seat, said. The dig was aimed at prime minister Narendra Modi, who has said on several occasions that it required a 56-inch chest to take tough decisions. CEO S Murali Krishna took suo motu note of the comments, and sought a report from the district administration.

Ahmedabad district collector Vikrant Pandey said that he had sought a report into the comments from Sanand Assistant Returning Officer.

"We are expecting the report by tomorrow," he said.

Former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela, who joined the NCP a couple of months ago, was among those who were present at the rally, and addressed the gathering in Chavda's support. The election authorities also ordered a probe after media reports said that cash was distributed among people outside the venue of an election rally addressed by Union minister Smriti Irani on Thursday. The rally had taken place in Patan district. Newspaper reports showed a woman, who was part of a group, accepting money from another.

"We have received a report from Patan collector based on the news clipping. It says that in the absence of a video clip or other concrete evidence, it cannot be established whether there was any violation of the Model Code of Conduct," CEO S Murali Krishna said.

In another development, the CEO directed authorities to provide security to NCP leader Reshma Patel.