Ahead of BMC Election 2026, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that the BJP-led Mahayuti is undermining democracy by engineering unopposed wins using pressure, money power and administrative machinery
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal. File pic
With just days to go for the BMC Election 2026, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday said the BJP-led Mahayuti’s greed for power had reached the point of “swallowing democracy”, amid a fierce debate over 68 ruling alliance candidates winning unopposed ahead of the January 15 civic polls, news agency PTI reported.
The state Congress chief further said that the Devendra Fadnavis Government is undermining democracy by using pressure, threats, and money power to force uncontested victories in municipal polls.
Sapkal, while slamming the ruling party, asserted, "The principle of free and fair elections has been severely compromised in the ongoing civic elections. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have wrapped up democracy. A blatant money game is underway even before polling. The hunger for power of the BJP-led Mahayuti has reached the point of swallowing democracy."
The Congress chief also claimed that in order to win unopposed, leaders of the ruling parties are preventing opposition candidates from filing nomination forms with the help of police and the civic administration, PTI reported.
He also added that the Election Commission is a mute spectator while such developments are afoot.
Stressing that elections are not new to India's democratic tradition, Sapkal highlighted that opposition parties also have equal importance in a healthy democracy, PTI reported.
While hailing Congress’s democratic values and traditions, Sapkal said that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet included ministers from non-Congress parties as an example of democratic values.
The Congress leader also said, "Voters should be given the option to use 'None of the Above' (NOTA) even in wards where candidates are elected unopposed, so that citizens can exercise their constitutional right to vote."
Sapkal criticises Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar
Slamming the speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rahul Narwekar had damaged the dignity of his constitutional office.
"Holders of constitutional positions such as the speaker are expected to rise above political bias, but Narwekar has failed to do so. Narwekar had earlier weakened the anti-defection law and has now descended to a very low level by misusing his position during municipal elections to benefit his relatives," Sapkal added.
The Congress leader accused Narwekar of obstructing opposition candidates, issuing threats and misusing authority and demanded that the President of India remove him from the post.
"CCTV footage from the incident sites is available, and complaints of those who were threatened should be recorded and action taken," he said while alleging the inquiry report so far amounted to mere "wordplay", Sapkal further emphasised.
The allegations of opposition parties pertain to wards numbered 225, 226, and 227 in the Colaba constituency, where Narwekar's kin are in the fray for the January 15 civic polls. His brother Makrand, sister Gauri Shivalkar, and sister-in-law Harshita Shivalkar are contesting the civic polls from wards 225, 226, and 227.
Narwekar, a BJP MLA from Colaba in South Mumbai, has dismissed the charges as baseless and politically motivated.
The three parties in the ruling Mahayuti were contesting against each other in civic polls and publicly attacking one another, Sapkal said, and asserted it was a "friendly fight" or "sham wrestling".
Sapkal added, "If they are serious about their differences, Ajit Pawar should quit the government, or the BJP should show him the door."
(With inputs from PTI)
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