Nanded Municipal Polls: Former Corporator Accuses Ashok Chavan Of Taking ₹50 Lakh For BJP Candidature

Nanded: Amid the hustle and bustle of the municipal corporation elections, internal discontent within the BJP has come to the fore. Serious allegations have been made against former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan, accusing him of taking ₹50 lakh in exchange for granting party candidature. Notably, the allegations have been levelled by Chavan’s longtime supporter and former corporator Bhanusingh Rawat. The claims have heated up the political atmosphere in Nanded.

The BJP is contesting the Nanded Waghala City Municipal Corporation (NWCMC) election under the leadership of Ashok Chavan for the first time. Candidatures were finalised under his guidance, but several aspirants failed to secure party tickets. One of them is Bhanusingh Rawat, considered a staunch supporter of Chavan. Rawat is aggrieved as his son was denied a BJP ticket. He alleged that Chavan demanded ₹50 lakh from each candidate for candidature. Rawat said he had sought a ticket for his son from Ward No. 16, but the candidature was rejected at the last moment without any solid reason.

Rawat has been regarded as one of Chavan’s closest allies and has worked with him since 1980. When Chavan left the Congress and joined the BJP, Rawat, along with 35 to 40 corporators, also joined the BJP. They were reportedly assured tickets for the elections. However, Rawat alleged that Chavan later rejected the candidature of several aspirants. He further claimed that tickets were given to husband-wife and father-son pairs.

Similarly, another supporter of Chavan, Dushyant Sonale, has accused the BJP city president of taking money for granting candidature. Women’s Front state secretary Mahadevi Matpati has also made similar allegations. As a result, the internal rift within the BJP has once again surfaced. It will be interesting to see how Chavan responds to these allegations.

Meanwhile, Rawat has sought a ticket from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) for his son Akshatysingh Rawat from Ward No. 17. Former opposition leader Deepaksingh Rawat is contesting against him on behalf of the BJP.