BJP meets CEC, demands immediate arrest of Chawla

A delegation of BJP met the Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla demanding immediate arrest of Minister of State for Rural Development Siddharam Mhetre, who has been booked in a murder case.

A delegation of BJP met the Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla demanding immediate arrest of Minister of State for Rural Development Siddharam Mhetre, who has been booked in a murder case.

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The minister and 28 others have been booked for murder of a BJP activist at a poll rally in Akkalkot constituency of Solapur district.

"Our main demand was immediate arrest of Mhetre, as additional sessions court of Solapur District rejected his anticipatory bail application," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters in Mumbai on Thursday after meeting the Commissioner on Wednesday.

Another demand was to send a special observer to the constituency and it has been agreed by the Commissioner, he said. Deputy Election Commissioner J P Prakash visited the constituency on Thursday, Javadekar said.

The Commission also assured them to deploy Central Reserve Force for the security of voting machines in the constituency considering the sensitivity of the constituency, he said.