Maharashtra polls: Amit Thackeray gets Sena (UBT) rap over Diwali spend

Shiv Sena (UBT) lodged a complaint with Election Commission (EC) demanding that the spends of the event at Shivaji Park be added to Amit’s election expenditure

MUMBAI: Soon after being fielded as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate from Mahim constituency for the upcoming assembly elections, Amit Thackeray has courted controversy from a rival political party over Deepotsav expenditure. On Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) demanding that the spends of the event at Shivaji Park be added to Amit’s election expenditure. EC has sought a report from MNS about the same.

Amit Thackeray gets Sena (UBT) rap over Diwali spend

Mahim is poised for a triangular contest between debutant Amit Thackeray, sitting Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Mahesh Sawant.

“BMC has given permission for the Deepotsav at Shivaji Park organised by MNS, which is a breach of the model code of conduct,” said Sachin Parasnaik, deputy secretary of Sena (UBT), in a complaint to EC on Thursday. “MNS has put up banners and lanterns displaying the party name all over Shivaji Park. Moreover, as the Mahim candidate from MNS was present at the inauguration, the expenses of the Deepotsav should be added to his election expenditure, as per law.”

While additional chief election officer Kiran Kulkarni confirmed to HT that that the commission had received the complaint from Shiv Sena (UBT), district election officer of Mumbai and municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said that the expenses of the Shivaji Park festival will be factored in the election expenditure.

The permission to hold the festival between October 28 and November 15 was given by the returning officer of Mahim assembly constituency to MNS’s Yashwant Killedar.

Reacting to the turn of events, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said, “We have been holding the Deepotsav here for many years. This has no connection with Amit Thackeray’s campaign. Shiv Sena (UBT) is objecting to a Hindu festival as it has stopped following the Hindu ideology. They must now officially change their religion.”