Pimpri-Chinchwad: Alleging massive fraud by the Election Department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in the published voter lists for the upcoming PCMC elections, leaders of the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a protest on Tuesday. In this aggressive show of denial, MVA leaders burnt copies of the voter lists outside the PCMC Main Administrative building in Pimpri. MVA leaders also shouted powerful slogans.
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Key leaders in the Pimpri-Chinchwad city of the Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) were present in the protest.
Showing a tremendous display of opposition, they shouted slogans including "Nahi chalegi – nahi chalegi, tanashahi nahi chalegi" (Will not work – will not work, dictatorship will not work), "Lokshahi mein hukumshahi nahi chalegi" (Dictatorship will not work in a democracy), "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" (Hail Mother India), "Mahavikas Aghadi cha Vijay Aso" (May the MVA be victorious), and "Matadarancha hakk hiravun ghenaryancha dhikkar aso" (Shame on those who snatch away voters' rights).
The PCMC Administration had published the draft ward-wise voter list on Thursday for the civic body elections. However, the MVA alleges that while dividing the lists, the officials and employees of the Election Department split them without conducting on-site verification, which was absolutely important. The MVA has claimed that there is a discrepancy involving 5,000 voters across the 32 wards of the city.
MVA Aggressive in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Parties within MVA have become aggressive over the alleged manipulation of voter lists. On Tuesday, they protested against the Election Department by burning the voter lists outside the Municipal Corporation building in Pimpri.
Uddhav Sena Pune District Chief Gautam Chabukswar said, “The voter lists being used for the PCMC elections are those from the Assembly elections. These same lists have been split ward-wise.” Chabukswar expressed major suspicion regarding how the Mahayuti (ruling alliance in the state and centre) managed to elect 232 MLAs in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, alleging that vote theft had occurred.
He claimed there are discrepancies in the lists published by the PCMC Election Department, with voters from one ward being shifted to another. He specifically highlighted a major discrepancy concerning Muslim and Dalit voters. He alleged that votes against the BJP have been intentionally moved to other wards.
Chabukswar challenged the BJP, stating that if their people also claim the voter list is flawed, they must correct the lists. He demanded that the flawed voter lists be rectified and presented to the public, emphasising the need for "Doodh ka Doodh, Paani ka Paani" (separating the truth from the lies).
Former Corporator Sulakshana Dhar of NCP-SP said that 5,500 voters have been deleted from Ward No. 20. She pointed out that these voters had cast their ballots in the Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. She further accused the BJP of deliberately removing specific names. She also criticised the Mahayuti Government, alleging that they are working in collusion with the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC).
