As several candidates from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) withdrew from the upcoming June 18 Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, giving unopposed victories to the ruling Mahayuti, a war of words broke out between NCP-SP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday.
Sule said she would propose a Bill in Parliament aimed at increasing transparency in elections to address the issue of horse-trading. She called for either the discontinuation of these elections in their current form or the implementation of open voting. In response, Fadnavis stated that he believes that people can be won over with love rather than money, but won’t mind supporting anyone who wants to move a Bill focused on reforming the election process.
“I am planning to introduce a Bill in Parliament to replace secret ballots with a public ‘show of hands’ voting system for all elections, from the selection of a Sarpanch to the Lok Sabha elections,” she told reporters in Pune, while justifying the NCP-SP’s decision against contesting the Pune Legislative Council seat following ‘horse-trading’ allegations.
Mahayuti won unopposed in six seats — Pune, Thane, Wardha, Yavatmal, Solapur, and Ratnagiri — out of 17. After the NCP (SP) withdrew from the race in the Pune seat on the last day of withdrawal of nomination on June 5, Vikram Kakade of the NCP will now be elected unopposed.
”The decision not to contest the Pune Legislative Council seat was made collectively by leaders of all three parties in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). We held a meeting, and this decision was reached. There were discussions about massive ‘horse-trading’ for the Pune Legislative Council election, which is why we decided to withdraw,” Sule said.
Urging the ruling parties not to contest elections based on their money power, Sule said, ”We will fight the ruling parties with full strength in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The ruling parties should not contest elections based on the power of money, nor should they use investigative agencies to intimidate others. This country must be run democratically, and we will strive for that. There was no excitement in the Legislative Council elections; I did not expect horse-trading to happen on such a large scale.”
Stating that there was no fun in the Legislative Council elections, Sule said, “Elections are enjoyable only when they are transparent… The Rajya Sabha election was uncontested because everything is based on numerical strength. In Pune, we had 150 votes. We won’t comment on what others are saying.”
‘If people can be won over with love…’
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Reacting to Supriya Sule’s statement, CM Fadnavis, at an event in Mumbai, said, “I would just say that if you understand that people can be won over with love rather than money, there would be no need to introduce such a Bill. However, I have no objection if someone wants to introduce a Bill regarding the need for reform in the election process. It is also my opinion that the electoral process should undergo reform.”
Sule’s reaction came after the Congress accused the NCP (SP) of betrayal. ”The Congress Pune city unit had told the NCP (SP) that it wanted to contest the Pune Legislative Council seat based on the strength of local authority representatives. However, the NCP (SP) first fielded a candidate and then withdrew him from the race. This was nothing short of a betrayal. The NCP (SP) has played into the hands of the Mahayuti alliance,” Prashant Jagtap, city unit chief of Congress, had said after the NCP (SP) dropped out of the race.
Fadnavis also commented on the withdrawal of Bal Mane, a Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate for the Konkan Legislative Council seat who is expected to join the BJP. Fadnavis stated, “In the BJP, the decision of the state president is final. The chief minister does not make these decisions; the state president does, and I will accept that decision. Bal Mane was already one of us. The decision taken by BJP state president Ravindra Chavan will be final.”
Bala Mane, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Ratnagiri candidate, was expelled from the party for “anti-party activities” after he withdrew his nomination on June 4. His withdrawal has paved the way for the uncontested win of NCP candidate Aniket Tatkare.
‘For 65 years, Congress engaged in bullying politics’
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Refuting the charges of horse-trading, BJP leader and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “None of us have ever practised the politics of pressure. For 65 years, the Congress party engaged in bullying politics. Recently, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MVA people fought elections using government machinery and bullying. I challenge them to show even one voter or candidate upon whom we have exerted pressure. They are unable to manage their own people, and that is why they are blaming us.”
Will attend INDIA bloc meeting: Sule
The NCP (SP) leader said she would remain present for the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, unlike the DMK which has decided to stay away.”I will be going to Delhi myself for this meeting.”
As for the Cockroach Janta Party, the Baramati MP said, ”In a robust democracy, anyone can form a party; therefore, I extend my best wishes to Abhijeet Dipke of the ‘Cockroach Party’.”
