Congress to hold state-wide protests on Saturday over `irregularities` in polls

The Maharashtra Congress has announced statewide protests on Saturday, 25 January, alleging irregularities in the 2024 state assembly elections, news agency PTI reported. The date coincides with the National Voters’ Day (NVD), which marks the foundation of the Election Commission of India (ECI).  

Speaking at a press conference, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President Nana Patole said, “The party will hold protests at the district and taluka levels across Maharashtra on January 25. Key leaders of the party will take part in the protests.”  

Patole also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ECI of manipulating votes in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, and thereby undermining democracy. He added, “Its conduct in the recent elections has raised serious doubts over its credibility. The BJP and its allies won the [Maharashtra Assembly] election not through honest means but through trickery and deceit. Hence, our party has decided to hold day-long protests across the state.”  

Patole also revealed that Congress leaders from Delhi would visit Maharashtra to interact with the media and shed light on the issue, PTI reported.  

In the recent elections, the ruling Mahayuti coalition retained power by winning 230 of the 288 assembly seats. The BJP secured 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 41. Within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balsaheb Thackeray) won 20 seats, the Congress 16, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) 10.  

Patole raised concerns over the alleged voter list anomalies, stating, “How did the number of voters increase by 50 lakh within six months of the Lok Sabha elections, and how 76 lakh votes were added after 5 pm on the polling day? Despite demanding transparency, the ECI has not provided any data. Now, a bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha to restrict sharing of voting details with the common man.”  

He was referring to recent amendments preventing public access to electronic election documents, including CCTV footage and recordings of candidates, which he criticised as a lack of transparency.  

`Welcome move to charge cops involved in Badlapur sexual assault case accused`s death`

Patole welcomed a court order to charge the policemen involved in the custodial death of Akshay Shinde, the lone accused in the Badlapur school sexual assault case. The magistrate’s inquiry held five officers responsible for Shinde’s death and questioned their claim of acting in self-defence during a September 2024 encounter.  

Patole also accused the police of brutality in the death of Somnath Suryawanshi during a combing operation. According to PTI, he criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for allegedly misleading the assembly by attributing the death to asthma and vowed to bring a privilege motion against him.  

The Maharashtra Congress chief condemned the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, a sarpanch in Beed, linking it to criminal activities such as extortion and kidnapping in the district.

“Mafia in Beed operates under the protection of a minister. While an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) from the ruling party has publicly revealed details about the mafia’s activities, the government’s response has been limited to superficial inquiries aimed at securing its position,” he claimed and further criticised the ongoing infighting among the ruling allies over the allocation of guardian ministerial posts, urging CM Fadnavis to address the matter promptly, even during his foreign trip.  

According to PTI, Patole also alleged a Rs 350-crore crop insurance scam in Beed, accusing insurance companies and government officials of colluding to defraud funds intended for farmers. “While farmers have not received compensation, the companies have profited significantly by looting their funds,” he said.  

(With PTI inputs)