The municipal elections in Maharashtra, already a hot topic across the state, has got juicier, with allegations that a contest in Pune got duplicate candidates from Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and one of them, upset at the news, tore up and ate the AB form of his rival in public.
Machhindra Davale and Uddhav Kamble were given AB forms by the Shiv Sena from Ward No. 36A in the Dhankawadi-Sahakarnagar area of Pune.
Uddhav Kamble had allegedly found out when he went to file his papers at the Election Commission. The proof in hand, he allegedly tore it and promptly swallowed the balled up pieces in full view of the Election Commission officials.
A police case has been filed and his in-house rival said he has been asked to file duplicate papers. Sources said the police have taken this act very seriously.
The police said that the complaint from the Election Commission was that Kamble had taken Davale's form during scrutiny, tore it up and put it in his mouth and rushed towards the washroom. "We are investigating the matter," said Rahul Khilare, a senior officer of the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station.
Kamble, though, denied that he had eaten the form. He said he had heard reports that there was a second candidate from the party. "I don't know who this "Davale" person is. He has no connection to our party and isn't a party official. I've never even met him," he said.
When he tried to verify it with senior party officials, he was assured that no other party worker had been given the form.
He had received similar replies from the party's district heads and even the Election Commission officials.
But he searched by himself and "when I found the other form, out of anger and frustration, I tore it up... I was deeply upset that the election commission, a government body, would lie to an official candidate from a national party like the Shiv Sena," he said.
Asked where the torn form is and that the election officials have filed a complaint saying he ate it in front of them, he said: "In the middle of the chaos, I don't know where the pieces went. But if they're claiming I ate it, I'm here at the police station to challenge that... I should undergo a medical examination. If the form is found in my stomach, then they can proceed with legal action. But if it's not, they should withdraw the false complaint".
Davale said he was not there to witness the moment. He said he had heard that his form was torn up and eaten but did not hold any grudges, since "he (Kamble) is from our party and a good friend of mine, I don't have any ill will toward him".
Declaring himself the official candidate of the Sena, he said now that two candidates have surfaced, the party will take a final call.
Sena, though, is yet to say who is the "real" candidate.
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/LY5SGzm
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