If there’s a face within the controversy over nomination purposes for the upcoming Maharashtra Municipal Company elections, wherein ward 69 was received unopposed, it’s chairman Rahul Narwekar.
On Monday, opposition events, together with the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS, Aam Aadmi Occasion and independents, filed a criticism with the State Election Fee (SEC) towards Narwekar. Interfering with the voting course ofand urged him to rethink his nomination utility in three wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC), which his household is contesting.
Final week, following the Congress criticism towards Narwekar, the SEC had written to BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani in search of a report on the matter.
Narwekar, whose ascension to the chairmanship has been controversial, stands out in additional methods than one in relation to polls. Earlier than the Opposition condemned him, questions had been raised inside the Bharatiya Janata Occasion over get together tickets given to a few of Mr. Narwekar’s kin within the Colaba constituency, which he represents as an MLA.
Opposition events have additionally questioned Narwekar’s presence within the Returning Officer (RO) premises when nominations had been being filed by cross-party candidates in view of his constitutional place, alleging that CCTV footage recording the method had been tampered with.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has referred to as for the resignation of the get together chairman over the problem.
The 48-year-old is at the moment combating allegations that he ensured the nominations of many candidates in Wards 225, 226 and 227, the place kin are working.
Narwekar’s youthful brother, Makrand Narwekar, a former incumbent councilor, is working from the 226th ward. After going via the nomination and withdrawal course of, he’ll solely face one unbiased MP. Mr Makrand’s spouse Harshita Narwekar, a councilor from Cuffe Parade space, is contesting from ward 225 and is going through two opponents from Shiv Sena and Sena (UBT) respectively. Narwekar’s youthful sister Gauri Shivalkar is the third member of her household to participate on this race from ward 227 and is competing towards rivals from Sena (UBT).
The common variety of candidates for every ward in BMC is seven. There are 15,931 candidates collaborating within the election marketing campaign in 2,869 wards in 29 corporations scheduled to vote on January fifteenth, with roughly six candidates per ward.
In response to the district’s evaluation, this time the district received 69 seats uncontested, in comparison with 11 seats within the final citizen ballot and 10 seats within the earlier cycle. indian categorical.
Narwekar denied the accusations towards him, calling them “fabricated.” “I performed no position within the nomination course of. I didn’t intimidate anybody or cease them from submitting a nomination.”
When Narwekar’s household lastly acquired tickets from the three wards, there was a public uproar on the BJP headquarters over the “two guidelines”. Occasion leaders had earlier directed to not give tickets to kin of ministers, MLAs and MPs.
“Each seat is essential within the BMC. Mr. Narwekar’s kin might have purchased the ticket contemplating the percentages, however the upset was clear,” a senior BJP chief mentioned.
Senior JD(S) chief and former MP Haribau Rathod has additionally accused Narwekar of interfering within the election course of, alleging that he blocked the nomination of at the least 12 candidates for wards 224, 225, 226 and 227.
Rathod, an OBC chief, informed The Indian Categorical: “My son Neeraj was planning to contest from ward 226. We submitted the bond on December 30 (the final day of nominations), obtained the receipt and accomplished the formalities. However then the police waited outdoors. Once we returned to submit our paperwork, the RO introduced that the 5pm deadline had ended. He additionally indicated that nobody had submitted their paperwork. ”
Rathod added that Narwekar was pressuring the RO to maneuver slowly. “The chairman needed his kin to be elected unopposed. In consequence, we weren’t capable of submit our nomination papers.” He claims that different nomination types throughout the 4 wards had been additionally not accepted by the RO for comparable causes.
Mr. Rathod additionally accused Mr. Narwekar of “threatening to revoke police safety and all privileges.”
AAP chief Sanjay Singh circulated a video of Narwekar allegedly threatening Rathod.
Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal accused Mr. Narwekar of undermining the autonomy of the speakership. “The Bharatiya Janata Occasion is making a mockery of the electoral course of. A state Congress president is predicted to be apolitical. What was he doing within the RO workplace? How can he actively take part within the electoral course of and train his constitutional powers? Furthermore, he’s actively campaigning for his kin.”
Mr. Sapkal additionally accused 70 officers and workers of Mr. Narwekar’s workplace of “actively collaborating within the marketing campaign”.
Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmaker Sanjay Raut mentioned, “From all of the stories, it’s clear that the Speaker was within the RO workplace to make sure that the opposition candidate’s nomination was not accepted…Sadly, the Speaker has absconded and the RO will likely be made the scapegoat.”
By the way, Rathod’s get together JD(S) on Monday withdrew prices towards the Colaba RO for alleged misconduct as a consequence of Narwekar’s interference.
Narwekar quoted this and mentioned, “The JD(S) withdrew the fees after the nomination papers of two of the three candidates had been obtained…They weren’t even conscious of their very own nomination standing and had been making an attempt to create a false narrative towards me.”
On the fees of abuse of energy by opposition events, Narwekar mentioned the related authorities would look into the matter. He rejected Uddhav Thackeray’s demand for his resignation and mentioned, “There are previous wounds they usually harm much more within the winter.”
Rathod mentioned the JD(S) might have dropped the fees however would pursue private prices towards Narwekar. “The remaining opposition events are additionally united and decided to pursue prices towards the RO and the Speaker.”
Earlier, Narwekar’s position as speaker had been clouded following the Shiv Sena-NCP break up in 2022 and 2023, and he was accused by non-BJP events of being sluggish in responding to petitions in search of disqualification of defecting MLAs. The Supreme Court docket restrained Narwekar on this problem.
