CM Fadnavis must resign after Rahul Gandhi exposed vote theft in Maharashtra: Sapkal

Mumbai, Sep 18 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had no moral right to continue in office after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi exposed "vote theft" in the Rajura assembly constituency of Chandrapur district.

He claimed that 6,850 votes were manipulated (in Rajura) and even the state police, under the home ministry headed by Fadnavis, registered an FIR in the matter.

"Rahul Gandhi has once again exposed how democracy is being sabotaged in Maharashtra. The theft of over 6,000 votes in Rajura, now confirmed by an FIR filed by CM Fadnavis' own police, proves that the Mahayuti alliance has no moral right to remain in power," Sapkal said in a press conference in neighbouring Thane.

"The BJP captured power with the Election Commission's help by stealing votes. Fadnavis should open his eyes and resign immediately," he said after a review meeting of the party's Konkan division.

Accusing the Election Commission of acting with double standards, he alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was speaking like a political leader.

"By subverting democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP want to make India like Nepal or Sri Lanka," he alleged.

Sapkal termed the recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms as a "victory for Rahul Gandhi's foresight".

"Rahul Gandhi had demanded GST reforms eight years ago and the government is implementing those changes today," he said.

The Congress will celebrate the occasion by distributing sweets to traders across the state on September 22, he announced.

The Congress leader demanded Rs 50,000 per hectare of compensation for crop losses suffered by farmers as a result of heavy rains in the state, and Rs 5 lakh per hectare for farmland erosion. He further sought free seeds and fertilisers for the rabi season along with farm loan waivers.

Sapkal also hit out at the state government for its attempts to "impose" a third language in schools.

"Marathi is not just a language but our cultural identity. By thrusting another language, Fadnavis is stabbing Marathi in the back. The BJP is trying to erase India's identity of unity in diversity," he said, warning that the party would resist any such move. PTI MR COR NP