Mahayuti spent Rs 150 crore to force MVA candidates out of MLC polls: Uddhav Sena

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday accused the ruling Mahayuti alliance of resorting to horse-trading in the June 18 Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) polls, alleging that nearly Rs 150 crore was used to induce Opposition candidates to withdraw from the contest.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Friday, Raut alleged that Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar's NCP, resorted to large-scale "horse-trading" despite enjoying a comfortable majority in the state. The Mahayuti has already won six seats uncontested.

"If they already have the numbers, why spend so much money? Why was there a need for horse-trading?" Raut asked, claiming that Rs 25 crore was paid to ensure the withdrawal of a candidate from a seat in the Konkan region. He further alleged that Rs 15 crore changed hands at a luxury hotel in Mumbai as part of the deal.

Calling the developments a "stab in the back of democracy", Raut said uncontested elections were acceptable only when achieved through consensus and goodwill, not through coercion or financial inducements. He also alleged that candidates in Nashik and Solapur were pressured and threatened into withdrawing from the contest.

The Sena (UBT) leader reserved some of his sharpest criticism for leaders from his own camp who withdrew their nominations. Referring to them as "traitors", Raut said they had sought the blessings of party chief Uddhav Thackeray before abandoning the contest and later attempted to justify their actions in the name of Hindutva.

The controversy intensified after Shiv Sena (UBT) expelled its Konkan candidate Bal Mane for withdrawing from the race. Mane, however, hit back at the party leadership, alleging a complete lack of coordination within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and blaming internal politics for his decision to step aside.

Of the 17 seats falling vacant for the MLC polls, the Mahayuti has already secured six seats unopposed after opposition candidates withdrew their nominations in -- Thane, Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Pune, Chandrapur-Wardha-Gadchiroli, Yavatmal and Ahilyanagar.

The withdrawals have dealt a significant blow to the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), ahead of voting for the remaining 11 seats on June 18.

EKNATH SHINDE SAYS MAHAYUTI TO SWEEP MLC POLLS

Amid the Opposition's allegations, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde dismissed suggestions of any wrongdoing and exuded confidence that the Mahayuti would sweep all 17 seats in the MLC polls.

"The Mahayuti alliance will win all 17 seats," Shinde said at a press conference, pointing out that the alliance had already won six constituencies unopposed.

Those set to enter the Legislative Council without a contest include NCP's Aniket Tatkare from Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Shiv Sena's Ravindra Phatak from Thane, Shiv Sena nominee Dushyant Chaturvedi from Yavatmal, BJP's Arun Lakhani from Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli, and Mahayuti-backed NCP candidate Vikram Kakade from Pune.

Taking a swipe at the MVA, Shinde said the Opposition bloc was witnessing internal discord and that voters had already judged its performance in recent Assembly and local body elections. "There is a 'bigaadi' (malfunction) in the 'aghadi' (alliance)," the Deputy Chief Minister quipped.

Elections to 16 Legislative Council seats from local self-government bodies, along with a bypoll to one seat from the Nagpur local authorities' constituency, are scheduled for June 18. Votes will be counted on June 22. Members of local self-government bodies constitute the electoral college for these polls.

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(with inputs from PTI)