Unaware of any complaint to Congress high command against me: MPCC chief Sapkal

Mumbai, Oct 16 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Thursday sought to downplay his absence from an Opposition delegation that met the State Election Commission (SEC) and maintained he was unaware of any complaint against him to the party leadership over the issue.

Talking to reporters here, Sapkal noted the Congress was duly represented in the multi-party delegation of Opposition leaders and he could not accompany them due to a pre-scheduled meeting with party leadership in New Delhi.

Opposition leaders on Wednesday met State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare and Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam to raise concerns over alleged irregularities in the voters' list ahead of the crucial local body polls. They insisted local body polls should not be conducted until the electoral rolls are fully "rectified".

"There is no issue of any complaint," the MPCC president asserted while replying to a question on Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut reportedly submitting a written complaint to the Congress high command against his absence from the delegation.

He pointed out it was Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who has exposed alleged election manipulation with evidence and cited 'vote fraud' cases in Maharashtra too.

Sapkal opined the delegation which met Waghmare and Chockalingam focused on issues such as discrepancies in voters' list and reports of 'voter fraud'.

"The delegation met the Election Commission to highlight concerns about irregularities in the ongoing election process. There was no question of any complaint being filed (against him). I am unaware of such a complaint," he insisted.

Sapkal noted that during the Congress Political Affairs Committee meeting held on October 13 in Mumbai, AICC state in-charge Ramesh Chennithala had made it clear which party leaders would join the delegation.

"Senior functionary and CWC member Balasaheb Thorat, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad represented the party (in the delegation). I was in Delhi for a scheduled meeting with the central leadership so there was no issue," he explained.

Referring to the allegations of election fraud, Sapkal said Rahul Gandhi has already exposed the irregularities with evidence, including cases from Maharashtra also.

"Rahulji has revealed instances of vote theft in the Kamthi assembly constituency (Nagpur district) and even in the Chief Minister's own constituency (Nagpur South West). The Congress also shared this information with NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT). Thorat has briefed the Election Commission about these issues," he affirmed.

The NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are Congress allies and all three parties are constituents of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray and NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil, besides Congress leaders, were part of the delegation.

On his interaction with Sena (UBT) MP Raut, Sapkal claimed he shared cordial relations with him and there was regular communication between them.

"I have spoken to Sanjay Raut earlier and will continue to do so. I will even call him to extend Diwali greetings," the Congress leader added. PTI MR RSY