‘Pol Khol’ campaign vehicle vandalised at Chembur; BJP blames Shiv Sena

The vehicle found damaged on Tuesday morning in Mumbai’s Chembur was to be used for the BJP’s “Pol Khol” campaign launched on Monday ahead of the Mumbai civic elections later this year.

MUMBAI: A vehicle, one of the 40 screen-mounted vans to be used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its campaign to expose corruption in the Shiv Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was found vandalised on Tuesday morning, the BJP said.

The Mumbai Police said four people responsible for vandalising the ‘Pol Khol’ campaign of the BJP  have been identified. (ANI)

BJP leader Pravin Darekar, who was to launch the campaign at an event in Chembur, said he suspected the Shiv Sena was behind the attack and demanded that the police promptly arrest the hooligans involved.

The Shiv Sena hasn’t responded to the accusation yet.

The vehicle was to be used for the BJP’s “Pol Khol” campaign launched on Monday ahead of the Mumbai civic elections later this year. At the launch event on Monday, BJP Mumbai president Mangal Prabhat Lodha told party cadres to drive the vehicle equipped with a screen and loudspeakers across the city and create awareness about corruption in the Shiv Sena-led BMC.

A BJP leader said the vehicle was to be flagged off by BJP leaders Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lad in Chembur.

“We will stage agitations if people responsible for the vandalism are not arrested by the police,” Darekar said.

Prasad Lad called the vandalism a “deliberate attempt” to block the BJP’s campaign because the Shiv Sena doesn’t have any answers to the points raised by the BJP and was scared.

BJP leaders said this wasn’t the only instance of Sena cadres trying to create hurdles for them. BJP leader Atul Bhatkalkar said: “On Monday, we launched the campaign at Patra Chawl in Goregaon. Opposite the venue is a Shiv Sena shakha. So Shiv Sena party workers objected to the programme. We spoke to the police, and a stage will be set up near Kandivali railway station with requisite police permission.”

According to news agency ANI, the Mumbai Police has identified the four miscreants who were allegedly involved in the incident.