Ruling parties misusing money, power in big way in local polls: Chennithala

Mumbai, Dec 20 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday accused the ruling dispensation of large-scale misuse of money and power in local body elections and said decisions on seat-sharing under the opposition INDIA bloc would be taken by local leadership based on ground realities.

Addressing reporters after a party meeting, All India Congress Committee general secretary and Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala described municipal polls as “workers’ elections” and said his party is fully prepared for the upcoming civic polls.

Chennithala alleged that the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti has resorted to massive use of money power in local body elections and claimed that Maharashtra has become a leading state in corruption.

Elections to the 29 civic corporations in the state, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will take place on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day.

“The Mahayuti government has no concern for people’s issues. Farmers, unemployment, women’s safety and law and order have been completely neglected,” he said.

The people of Maharashtra would vote the Congress to victory in the municipal corporation elections, he said.

On alliance politics, Chennithala said there is a strong demand from Congress workers to contest the BMC polls independently. “Except for Mumbai, discussions are on with like-minded parties in other places. Wherever required, the decision to form alliances with parties other than the BJP-led Mahayuti will be taken by the local leadership,” he said.

Senior state Congress leaders have been given divisional responsibilities for the local body elections and are actively involved in strategy formulation and campaign planning, he said.

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said the party has had detailed discussions with local office-bearers over the past two days on the civic polls.

Referring to elections already held in 288 municipal councils and the forthcoming polls in municipal corporations, Sapkal said the Congress’ fight is ideological and against what he termed the “corrupt Mahayuti government”.

“There is no rule of law left in Maharashtra. Corruption has increased sharply, and the state is being sold off,” Sapkal alleged. PTI MR NR