Mumbai: State Congress state president Nana Patole arrived in Markadwadi village on Tuesday and promised a nationwide campaign along the lines of Bharat Jodo Yatra calling for paper ballots in election. Following the surprising results of the assembly election, Markadwadi residents recently conducted a controversial mock poll calling for the reinstatement of paper ballots.
Addressing a crowd, Patole declared, “Congress stands with the villagers who are leading the charge to protect democracy. Now, other villages across the state are following suit, passing resolutions in favour of paper ballots. What started in Markadwadi is now spreading across the state. Even villages like Kolewadi in Sangli and Mangaon in Raigad are joining the movement. This is not just a local issue it’s a nationwide fight. We have informed Rahul Gandhi about Markadwadi.”
Allegation Made By Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole
Patole further alleged that the government had resorted to heavyhanded tactics to silence the villagers after their mock polling initiative. He claimed that the authorities, in collaboration with the police, had filed cases against the villagers to suppress their campaign.
Patole vowed to take up the matter with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to withdraw the charges against the villagers. Meanwhile, BJP leaders also weighed in, visiting Markadwadi to voice their support for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). BJP leaders, including MLA Gopichand Padalkar, Sadabhau Khot and former Malshiras candidate Ram Satpute, organised a rally in Markadwadi to defend EVMs
