Pimpri-Chinchwad (Maharashtra) [India], January 15 : As polling begins across 29 civic bodies, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchand Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar levelled serious allegations over the conduct of the Maharashtra local body polls, claiming that the placement of polling booths was aimed at benefiting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to ANI in Pimpri-Chinchwad, he claimed that polling booths have been set up at considerable distances, making it difficult for voters to exercise their franchise. He added that Maharashtra Forests Minister Ganesh Naik is not even on the voter list for the relevant booth, and his family members' names are listed at different locations.
"People's polling booths have been placed far apart, which will prevent many people from voting. In Mumbai, Ganesh Naik, a minister, doesn't even have his name on the voter list at the booth where it should be, and his family members' names are scattered across different locations. If this is the situation for a leader in power, imagine the plight of the common people. This situation has been created so that people cannot vote against the BJP; it seems like a deliberate strategy, and that's what we all believe," Pawar said.
The NCP (SP) leader said, "Secondly, the time displayed on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is approximately 15 minutes ahead of the actual time. Additionally, many machines are malfunctioning, and the sequence of candidates on some machines is incorrect, for example, where it should start with 'A', it begins with 'D'. Furthermore, within the restricted 100-meter area around polling stations, where entry is prohibited, BJP workers have been distributing letters."
"Last night, through local BJP volunteers, Rs 5,000 was given to voters. The distribution of such large sums by the ruling party raises concerns about the potential influence on voter choices. Consequently, in many areas of Pimpri-Chinchwad and across Maharashtra, the BJP may face difficulties in forming the government," he added.
The polling for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections began on Thursday, with only 7.12 per cent voter turnout as of 9:30 am. However, these early trends indicate that almost twice as many male voters are casting their votes as women.
The highest voter turnout was recorded in Ward number 18 in Mumbai at 11.57 per cent. Whereas, ward no 162 recorded the lowest turnout at 1.68 per cent.
A total of 7,36,996 voters have cast their votes out of a total of 1,03,44,315. According to official data released by the State Election Commission (SEC), nearly twice as many men as women have cast their votes. 4,54,539 men have cast their vote in BMC elections, compared to 2,82,433 women.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena are contesting the civic elections as allies under the Mahayuti banner, except in Pune. Ajit Pawar's NCP has chosen to compete independently in most corporations.
In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, both NCP factions have come together under a joint manifesto.
The main political battle remains centred in Mumbai and Pune, where the BJP-led Mahayuti will face the united Thackeray camp, as just ahead of the civic polls, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray joined hands on the issue of Marathi Manus in a high-stakes fight for control of the BMC, the country's richest civic body.
The last BMC elections were held in 2017.
Polling is being held on Thursday across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. The elections are taking place after an intense campaign and are seen as crucial for major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Nashik, and Pimpri-Chinchwad.