Sena seeks forensic test of CM's tape before bypolls

MUMBAI: On the eve of two Lok Sabha bypolls in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena filed a complaint with the Election Commission over a speech by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis allegedly urging BJP workers to use a “tit for tat” policy in dealing with Sena cadres and win the Palghar poll by “hook or crook”. The byelections in Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia are scheduled for Monday.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis declined to comment on prospects for a pre-poll alliance with the Sena in 2019, adding that he would speak on the subject after the bypoll results on May 31.
Sena MP Anil Desai on Sunday wrote to the EC drawing attention to the CM’s speech. Seeking action, he alleged that the Palghar district administration was functioning under pressure from Fadnavis.
Fadnavis's speech, the audio tape of which was played for a gathering by Uddhav Thackeray at a poll meeting in Palghar last Friday, has triggered another round of bickering between the sparring allies. The Sena has accused Fadnavis of provoking BJP workers into a face-off with its cadres to win the Palghar bypoll by means fair or foul, while Fadnavis insists that his alliance partner has “twisted” the content of his speech. In the audio clip. he is purportedly heard advocating the use of “Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed” to win the bypoll.
As the audio clip went viral on social media, Thackeray taunted BJP for saying his speech was being misinterpreted and said he was willing to learn Marathi from Fadnavis if that was the case. The CM, reacted to Uddhav’s comments on Sunday saying, “One can wake up someone who is asleep but you cannot wake up one who is pretending to be asleep.”
Sena leader Anil Parab has demanded that the CM's audio tape be examined by forensic experts before Palghar goes to polls. “If the chief minister is found guilty of using provocative language, he should resign,” said Parab.
The Congress and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) also submitted complaints to the Palghar district collector over Fadnavis's speech. The Palghar by-election will be a litmus test for both BJP and Sena. The two saffron allies, which share power in the state, have put their organisational machinery to fullest use—
not to speak of ample resources—to win the Palghar seat.
BJP has fielded former Congress minister Rajendra Gavit while Shriniwas Wanga, the son of Chintaman Wanga, is the Sena candidate. Chintaman Wanga's death in January this year necessitated the by-election. Baliram Jadhav is the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) nominee while Congress has fielded Damu Shingada. The Communist Party too is in the fray.
Many fear pre-poll violence in the constituency which has a staggering 17 lakh voters spread across urban and rural areas. “We will not resort to violence of any kind. But, there is no guarantee that our rivals will follow our ethic,” said senior BVA functionary Unmesh Kulkarni.
Political sources said winning the election has become a prestige issue for Fadnavis who has spent several days campaigning in the district, meeting both voters and party workers. BJP has the Dahanu and Vikramgad assembly segments within the constituency and is focusing on the Nalasopara, Vasai and Boisar assembly seats, all of which belongs to the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA).
Both BJP and Sena are especially targeting Nalasopara to up their tally as it has the maximum number of voters among all the assembly segments at over 4.5 lakh. BJP had roped in Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union minister Smriti Irani and Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari for campaigning in Palghar. Sena too had organized several public meetings with both Uddhav and his son Aditya making repeated trips.
The district has turned into a fortress with heavy police deployment. Fourteen of the 2,097 polling booths have been declared sensitive. Voting begins at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. The extreme heat in the region is a matter of concern for all parties as it may have an impact on polling. In the 2014 LS polls, the Palghar constituency recorded 62.90 per cent polling.
The outcome of the Palghar bypoll may have other unintended results too. The Sena’s unbridled attacks on BJP over the last two years and Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to prop up a potential BJP candidate for the Palghar byelection may indeed lead to a review of ties with the Sena after the results, said experts.
In the Lok Sabha, BJP has 274 MPs while Shiv Sena has 18. In Maharashtra, BJP has 23 MPs against the Sena’s 18.
Inset
‘Some NDA allies don’t agree about our achievements’
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to mediapersons on Sunday to mark the completion of the NDA government’s four years in power. He said the key issue during the campaign for the next elections would be ‘Development’.
When asked whether the BJPs alliance partners shared the credit for the achievements of the four years, Fadnavis replied that the credit accrued to all NDA allies. “Achievement is of the Union government includes all allies. However, I cannot help it if some are not in agreement about our achievements,” he said.
Regarding Sena leader Sanjay Raut’s comments that Fadnavis was an egoistic person, the CM replied that he would not respond to the comments by Sena leaders junior to Uddhav Thackeray. “Everyone knows who has an ego…Thackeray is a party leader and I will respond to his comments only,” he said.