In a letter addressed to State Election Commissioner, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal accused BJP leader Chandrakant Patil of publicly urging Opposition candidates to withdraw their nomination papers
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal accused BJP leader Chandrakant Patil of violating the Model Code of Conduct. File Pic
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday accused state minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force for the forthcoming Zilla Parishad elections and demanded action against him, reported the PTI.
The Congress accused Patil of publicly urging Opposition candidates to withdraw their nomination papers, as per the PTI.
Sapkal approached the State Election Commission (SEC) and lodged a formal complaint against Patil over the alleged poll code violation.
Elections to 12 Zilla Parishads and 125 Panchayat Samitis are scheduled to be held on February 5.
In a letter addressed to State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare, Sapkal alleged that Patil, the minister for higher and technical education, made the remarks during a public programme in Sangli district on Monday, a day before the deadline for the withdrawal of nominations.
According to Sapkal, Patil appealed to Opposition candidates to withdraw from the contest, claiming they stood no chance of winning and should not waste their time and money.
Flouting rules
The Congress leader said that despite the Model Code of Conduct being in operation, ministers from the ruling party were openly flouting the rules. He argued that Patil’s statement amounted to direct pressure on Opposition candidates and constituted interference in the electoral process.
Sapkal demanded that a case be registered against the minister for violating the election code and also sought a ban on Patil from holding election-related public meetings to prevent any undue influence on the polls.
It is a serious issue, says Congress leader
He said it was the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure that elections are conducted in a free, fair and fearless manner. However, when a senior minister uses a public platform to influence candidates, it becomes a serious issue, he added.
Sapkal further said that Patil wields both administrative and political authority, and such statements could create fear among Opposition candidates.
Forcing or intimidating candidates to withdraw or refrain from campaigning amounts to an attack on democratic values, Sapkal said, urging the SEC to take strict action to safeguard the integrity of the election process.
(with PTI inputs)
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