New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday quit his Vadodara Lok Sabha seat, choosing to retain Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP recorded a landslide victory bagging 71 of the 80 seats in the recent elections. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was also elected from two seats in Uttar Pradesh, has quit his pocket-borough Mainpuri and retained Azamgarh.
Under rules, a member who has been elected from two Lok Sabha constituencies has to vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the declaration of result.
With Lok Sabha results out on May 16, the deadline was to expire on Thursday. Meanwhile, speculation is rife within the BJP that Mr Modi’s close aide and the party’s UP in-charge Amit Shah could contest from Vadodara seat.
After resigning Mr Modi tweeted, “Resigned from Vadodara LS seat. Due to people’s affection got elected by historic margin. Will always remain grateful to people of Vadodara. I assure people of Vadodara I will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Vadodara’s development scales newer heights in the years to come.”
