Complaint against 3 Sena (UBT) candidates, cop for facilitating Mahayuti victories

As many as 20 candidates in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls and seven candidates in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) polls have been elected unopposed

THANE: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Avinash Jadhav on Monday approached the State Election Commission, demanding a thorough probe by a committee of retired judges and senior police officers into unopposed victories in the upcoming municipal corporation polls. Jadhav, who has also moved the Bombay High Court on the matter, urged the SEC to withhold the results of unopposed candidates until the probe was completed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Rajan Vichare and MNS leader Avinash Jadhav on Sunday submitted a complaint against three Sena (UBT) candidates at the Srinagar Police Station in Thane. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

Dinesh Waghmare, the state election commissioner, said, “Jadhav had complaints about the returning officer and I have asked Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao and independent observer P Velarasu to give me a report.”

As many as 20 candidates in the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls and seven candidates in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) polls have been elected unopposed. Opposition parties have alleged that their candidates were either coerced into withdrawing nominations or faced rejection due to technical flaws, monetary inducements, and misuse of government machinery by the ruling alliance.

Earlier, on Sunday, the MNS and the Shiv Sena (UBT) submitted a written complaint to the Srinagar police station and the Thane police commissioner against a police officer and three Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates who withdrew their candidature for the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) polls, handing unopposed wins to candidates from the ruling Mahayuti coalition.

The three Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates – Dadabhau Repale from ward number 5B, Sneha Nangre from ward number 18B, and Vikrant Ghag from ward number 18D – had withdrawn from the fray despite being officially declared as Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates through ‘AB’ forms, thereby enabling rival candidates to win unopposed, the complainants claimed. They also alleged that a police officer had escorted one of the candidates to the residence of Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, and videos and photos of the meeting were seen circulating on social media.

Kedar Dighe, Thane Shiv Sena (UBT) president, who was part of the delegation which submitted the complaint said the actions of ruling parties and winning candidates were a betrayal of voters and an assault on democratic principles.

“Denying citizens their right to vote undermines democracy. We have sought criminal action against the candidates and the police officer involved,” Dighe said.

Senior police inspector Gulzarilal Fadtare said the complaint had been forwarded to the SEC, as the issue falls under their jurisdiction.

“Further action will be taken as per the directions of the SEC,” Fadtare said.

Speaking to HT, Avinash Jadhav said, “I met the State Election Commissioner in Mumbai and informed him about the unopposed victories achieved through coercive tactics in Thane. Even the commissioner was surprised by the number of unopposed candidates in Thane and Kalyan-Dombivali and has directed officials to conduct a detailed investigation and take appropriate action.”

Responding to the allegations, state transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik told reporters, “Meeting the deputy chief minister does not imply intimidation. Eknath Shinde has contributed significantly to Thane’s development. Leaders across parties meet him for guidance. That does not mean they were threatened.”