Sena (UBT) Calls BJP’s Unopposed Wins ‘Election Scam’
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s maternal cousin, Alhad Kaloti, was elected unopposed to the Chikhaldara Municipal Council: Reports
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday alleged that the BJP is using money and threats to ensure unopposed election of its candidates in local body polls in Maharashtra. It accused the ruling party’s workers and leaders of influencing the election process at various levels due “fear of real elections”.
An editorial in Saamana, Shiv Sena UBT’s mouthpiece titled “Unopposed election scam”, alleged that the BJP and elections are deciding on whose applications should be rejected, whose should be disqualified, and how someone should be brought in uncontested even before the election.
“Relatives of BJP leaders were elected unopposed. Democracy was murdered in Jamner, Dondaicha, and Anagar. The opposition candidates there were forced by the BJP to withdraw their applications. Threats were issued to them. Holding elections in such an atmosphere is not fitting for Maharashtra. Democracy has once again been tainted by the BJP’s unopposed election scam,” the editorial said.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’s maternal cousin, Alhad Kaloti, was elected unopposed to the Chikhaldara Municipal Council. It alleged that minister Girish Mahajan ensured his wife, Sadhana Mahajan, was elected unopposed as the President of the Jamner Municipal Council as the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party candidates, who filed applications against her, were forced to withdraw. Similarly, in Dhule district, minister Jaykumar Rawal ensured his mother, Nayankunwar Rawal, was elected unopposed as the President of the Dondaicha Municipal Council after the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate against her was “mysteriously” disqualified, the party said.
“This unopposed election scam is underway using money, power, and corrupt election machinery. Those who used power and money to secure uncontested elections have no faith in democracy and fear elections. Had elections taken place, this circle of relatives would have been defeated,” the editorial added.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray met Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) officials to demand 21 days instead of the allotted seven days’ time for filing objections and suggestions on the controversial draft voter rolls for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. He handed over a letter signed by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray.
“People are desperately waiting to cast their votes. Publication of the draft voters’ list was delayed by two weeks. The list which has come out now, is not machine-readable. Wards have been shuffled depending on the strength of the BJP. Why is the summary different from the actual list? Is this democracy? This is sedition. This should not happen in free and fair elections,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said after meeting the electoral officer.
