The Congress and NCP (SP) on Saturday accused the BJP of turning the upcoming Maharashtra local body elections into a “family-first affair” by allegedly ensuring the uncontested victories of relatives of BJP leaders and pressuring rival candidates to withdraw.
Leading the attack, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged that democracy is being “trampled” through pressure tactics and the misuse of government machinery by the ruling Mahayuti alliance, reported PTI.
Responding to the allegations, the BJP rejected the claims and hit back at the opposition, calling the Congress and Sharad Pawar–led NCP (SP) “parties of dynasts”.
Wadettiwar claimed that relatives of BJP leaders, including wives, sisters-in-law, cousins, brothers-in-law, and sons, have been elected unopposed to municipal councils and nagar panchayats, which go to polls on December 2.
“This is not a celebration of democracy. This is the murder of democracy. Using power and pressure, the ruling side is ensuring unopposed victories and then congratulating themselves,” he told reporters in Nagpur.
He further alleged that opposition candidates are being coerced to withdraw using money power, police pressure and intimidation.
“Goondaism and threats have become tools to secure uncontested wins for relatives of those in power,” the Congress leader said, according to PTI.
He claimed women candidates of the BJP had allegedly threatened voters with withholding development funds if they didn`t vote for them.
“Since the chief minister belongs to the BJP, party office-bearers feel emboldened. But ultimately, the people will decide,” he added.
The NCP (SP) also echoed the allegations raised by Congress, its alliance partner in the MVA bloc.
“The BJP is turning the upcoming municipal elections into a family-first affair. The ruling party has sidelined grassroots workers by distributing nominations to relatives of its ministers and legislators”, alleged NCP (SP) spokesperson Ravikant Varpe, according to PTI.
Varpe alleged that nominations in Jamner, Buldhana, Yavatmal, Khadakdholi, Chalisgaon and several other places have gone to relatives of cabinet ministers, including the spouses of ministers Girish Mahajan and Sanjay Savarkar and the daughter of minister Ashok Uike.
“The same leaders who speak of organisational discipline and transparency are themselves practising blatant family politics,” he said while targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the unopposed election of his relative.
He accused the BJP of nominating multiple members of the Gajanan Suryawanshi family for president and councillor posts in the Loha Municipal Council in Nanded District.
Elections to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats are scheduled for December 2, and votes will be counted a day later.
However, the run-up to the electoral contest is dominated by the victories of relatives of some BJP leaders without contest, with a common template- opponents withdrawing from the fray.
State BJP president Ravindra Chavan has claimed an unopposed election of 100 councillors of the ruling party in municipal councils and nagar panchayats in the run-up to Maharashtra local body elections.
He said three candidates were elected unopposed as the presidents of municipal councils.
Several relatives of senior BJP leaders, including ministers Girish Mahajan and Jaykumar Rawal, have been elected unopposed in local bodies.
In Jamner, Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan`s wife, Sadhana, was elected unopposed to the post of municipal council president after Congress nominee Rupali Lalwani and two NCP candidates withdrew from the fray.
Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal`s mother, Nayan, was elected as president of the Dondaicha-Varwade Municipal Council in Dhule District without contest after opposition candidate Sharyu Bhavsar`s nomination was rejected.
Bhavsar alleged that the nomination was rejected under pressure from the minister.
Another prominent uncontested victory is of Alhad Kaloti, a cousin of CM Fadnavis, in the Chikhaldara Municipal Council.
Congress leader Yashomati Thakur from Amravati District had alleged intimidation and inducements to ensure the withdrawal of competing candidates.
Several relatives of ministers, MLAs and MPs, including Labour Minister Aakash Fundkar, Textiles Minister Sanjay Savkare, Minister Ashok Uike, former MP Ramdas Tadas, MLA Mangesh Chavan and MLA Prakash Bharsakle, are either in the fray or have already been elected unopposed for posts in local civic bodies.
The BJP has rejected the charges raised by the Congress and NCP (SP).
“Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) is in no position to accuse others of promoting dynasty. In the 288 municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in Maharashtra, barely five per cent of BJP candidates are related to any leader. The remaining 95 per cent are ordinary grassroots workers who have been given an opportunity,” BJP media chief Navnath Ban claimed.
He alleged that the NCP (SP) revolves entirely around Supriya Sule, Rohit Pawar and Yugendra Pawar.
Ban said the BJP has “development, organisational strength and public support,” whereas the NCP (SP) relies on “recycled accusations and the legacy of dynasty”.
He said the Congress is the “original and uninterrupted patron” of family rule in Indian politics.
“Across the country, Congress remains a family-run franchise. Before accusing the BJP, Congress should first look into the mirror and acknowledge the deep-rooted dynastic culture within its own ranks,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
