Relatives of BJP leaders securing unopposed victories ahead of local body polls: Opposition

Mumbai, Nov 22 (PTI) The Congress and NCP (SP) on Saturday accused the BJP of turning the upcoming local body polls in Maharashtra into a "family first affair" by ensuring uncontested victories of relatives of BJP leaders and forcing their opponents to withdraw from the fray.

Leading the opposition charge, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged that democracy is being “trampled” upon through the pressure tactics and misuse of government machinery by the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Hitting back at Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), the BJP dubbed them as parties of dynasts and denied the allegations.

Wadettiwar alleged that relatives of BJP leaders, including wives, sisters-in-law, cousins, brothers-in-law and even sons, have been elected unopposed to municipal councils and nagar panchayats, where elections are scheduled 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 patting themselves on the back," he told reporters in Nagpur.

Wadettiwar alleged that Opposition candidates are forced to withdraw through the power of money, police pressure, and intimidation.

"Goondaism and intimidation have become tools to ensure unopposed victories for relatives of those in power," the Congress leader alleged.

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.

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 on December 3.

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.

Separately, state BJP president Ravindra Chavan has claimed an unopposed election of 100 councillors of the ruling party in municipal councils and nagar panchayats across the state in the run-up to local body polls.

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 Mahajan, 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 Kunwar Rawal, 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 Amaravati 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. PTI MR ND NSK