Mumbai: In a scathing allegation of ‘hijacking’ and ‘misuse’ of election machinery, the opposition parties' candidates from Colaba and Cuffe Parade alleged that BJP MLA and assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar was present inside the Returning Officer’s (RO) office, directing the election staff. The allegations made by candidates of the Congress, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were made after their nomination forms were not accepted.
AAP files formal complaint alleging unfair and biased actions by the Returning Officer
However, the BJP candidate has the AAP also made a formal complaint to the state election commissioner and BMC Commissioner, who is also the district election officer, alleging ‘unfair, biased and illegal actions of RO Krishna Jadhav’. Jadhav is RO for wards A, B and E, which covers the areas of Colaba and Cuffe Parade. “AAP candidate from 227, Margaret De Coasta, had paid the deposit of Rs 2500, and despite being inside the premises well before the 5 pm deadline, her nomination was not accepted post MLA Narwekar visited the RO’s office,” the party’s Mumbai President, Preeti Sharma Menon, claimed. The claim can be validated by checking the CCTV footage, the letter states.
As per data by the BMC, a total of 150 nominations have been submitted at RO Jadhav's office (ward A+B+E), of which 45 were submitted on Tuesday, December 30.
The Free Press Journal had reported on Wednesday that MNS candidate from Cuffe Parade, Baban Mahadik, along with his supporters, engaged in a scuffle with the police after his nomination form was not accepted. MNS also alleged that Narwekar was present at the Ros office, which is located in Nagpada. “Despite being present at the office from 2 pm and paying the deposit, my form was not accepted by 5 pm. We engaged in a brawl only after the police stopped us from meeting the RO. We demand answers,” Mahadik said. MNS leader Bala Nadgaonkar had also reached the spot.
Congress candidate claims selective leniency and procedural lapses
While Laura D’souza, who was supposed to submit the nomination from Congress’s ticket from ward 227, said that she saw Rahul Narwekar going in and out of the RO Jadhav’s office multiple times. D’Souza failed to submit her nomination from Congress as her AB form reached late; however, her nomination was accepted on Wednesday morning (post-deadline of December 30) as an independent candidate.
“They purposefully entered my wrong voter ID number in one form. I had to prove that it was a typing error by RO office. My AB form came late from Congress’s office, but BJP’s Harshita Narwekar’s PRO was allowed to enter late and submit her nomination as her form was also delayed. I fought for the right as the form given to me from the RO staff mentioned December 31 as the deadline,” D’souza said. She has made a written complaint at the RO office regarding the same.
D'souza claimed that when she went to submit her nomination as an independent candidate on Wednesday morning, MLA Narwekar was present at the RO office. “I would have been a tough competition if contested on Congress’s ticket. Thus, it was ensured that my form was not accepted. I am now an Independent,” she said.
BJP denies allegations
BJP candidate Harshita Narwekar, who is also the sister-in-law of MLA Rahul Narwekar, has denied all allegations. “All the allegations are absurd. There are CCTVs to prove that no unjust work is done. Regarding my nomination, there was no breach of the deadline. There were two forms, and my first form was already inside the office, which was submitted.”
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