MNS alleges MVA poll candidates being paid Rs 60 lakh to withdraw candidatures

Maharashtra Nirman Sena (MNS) spokesperson Yoigesh Chile alleged here on Friday that in the Panvel area of Navi Mumbai, Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) opposition candidates are being paid around Rs 60 lakh to withdraw their election candidatures so that ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance candidates emerge “elected unopposed”.

The MNS spokesperson also alleged that many candidates are not even reachable on their mobile phones and have “gone missing”.

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“Pressure is being exerted on the families of candidates. ‘Operation Lotus’ is going on in such a terrible manner. Hence, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates have been sent to a secret location to conceal them from the gang that is kidnapping them,” Chile stated.

Meanwhile, in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation, about 11 candidates of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti became corporators “unopposed” after opposition candidates “withdrew” their candidatures at the last minute.

In Dombivli, MNS city president Manoj Gharat suddenly withdrew his candidature at the last minute, shocking the MNS. Due to this, BJP’s Mahesh Patil has been “elected unopposed”.

Recently, Mahesh Patil had joined the BJP from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the presence of BJP state president Ravindra Chavan.

Similarly, independent candidates and candidates from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, MNS, and the Congress have been “withdrawing” their candidatures, leading to BJP-led Mahayuti candidates “winning unopposed”.

BJP’s Rekha Chaudhary was “elected unopposed” in Panel Ward 18 A, just like BJP’s Asawari Navare was “elected unopposed” from Ward 26 C.

Similarly, many candidates of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have also been “elected unopposed”.
As it happened in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation, in Thane too, the Eknath Shinde Sena’s candidate Jayashree Ravindra Phatak from Ward 18 B and Sukhda Sanjay More from Ward 18 C have been “elected unopposed”.

In the same panel, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidate Ram Repale from Ward 18 D has been “elected unopposed”, after the Congress candidate and independents “withdrew” their applications.

With Sheetal Dhamale from Ward 14 A and Ekta Bhoir from Ward 17 A getting “elected unopposed”, a total of five Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidates have been “elected unopposed” even before voting begins on January 15.