Mumbai, Jan 14 (IANS) The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Wednesday said that Maharashtra is bearing the consequences of electoral machinations devised by Chief Minister Fadnavis who seeks to turn Maharashtra into Bihar.

“The people of the state should take note that Maharashtra is today bearing the consequences of the electoral machinations devised by Chief Minister Fadnavis, who seeks to turn Maharashtra into Bihar,” he said.

Sapkal appealed to the vigilant citizens of Maharashtra to “recognise the ‘poisonous weed’ nurtured by Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP and not to rest until it is uprooted.”

Further, Sapkal said that a serious incident has occurred in Ward No 1 of the Nanded Municipal Corporation, where the husband of a Congress party candidate was attacked with a sword by unidentified persons in a life-threatening assault.

In Solapur, a candidate was murdered, while killings have also taken place in Akot and Khalapur.

Many candidates across the state have received threats, and their families have been intimidated and the incident in Nanded is yet another example of this trend.

“Notably, all these candidates belong to Opposition parties — those who dare to take on the corrupt nexus of goons and hoodlums currently in power. Is their only mistake that they are fighting back? Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis must answer this question to the people of Maharashtra,” he added.

Sapkal said that in the municipal council elections, the people placed their trust in the Congress party, making it the largest Opposition party in the state. They elected 41 municipal presidents and 1,006 councillors, and the party finished second in 2,000 places.

“In the municipal corporation elections as well, the people should ensure the Congress party’s candidates win by a clear majority. Without falling prey to any inducements, vote to protect democracy and the Constitution,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) President and MP Varsha Gaikwad asserted that the Congress party will hold the “key” to the municipal corporation and that no party will be able to appoint a Mayor in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) without their support.

Gaikwad dismissed claims that the Congress has been sidelined in the Mumbai civic polls. “The political arithmetic of Mumbai is changing. We are confident that the Congress will win a significantly higher number of seats this time. In the post-election scenario, no one will be able to instal a Mayor in the BMC without the Congress’ involvement,” she claimed.

–IANS

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