"Money being offered to voters, candidates": Raj Thackeray's serious charge against Mahayuti ahead of Maharashtra civic polls

Thane (Maharashtra) [India], January 13 (ANI): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray has levelled serious allegations against the ruling Mahayuti of offering bribes to voters and opposition candidates for withdrawal of nominations in the upcoming local body elections.
While addressing a joint rally with Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders here, he alleged that money has been offered to candidates to withdraw their nomination forms in 66 places (wards). He further said that money was being offered to voters despite claims of development.
"BJP people are distributing money, and Shinde's people are catching them. Don't know what is happening. I visited Kalyan-Dombivli and other poll areas. They are distributing Rs 5,000 per vote. I don't understand. On the one hand, they claim to have worked toward development. On the other hand, they pay money and ask for votes. Then what development are you talking about?" Raj Thackeray said.
"I am more worried about those taking the money than those who are giving it. What are we teaching our children? That our parents sold their votes?" he added.
The MNS Chief claimed that an officer-bearer of his party in Solapur was killed over an altercation to withdraw nomination in the civic body polls.
"At 66 places (wards) in Maharashtra, money has been given (to candidates) so that they withdraw their (nomination) forms. In Nashik, I said in my speech. That time during scrutiny, he withdrew the A and B forms. In Solapur, they killed one of our office-bearers over an altercation to withdraw nomination. What is happening?" Raj said.
Presenting his party's candidates contesting the Kalyan-Dombivli and Thane civic polls on the dais, Thackeray claimed that these candidates were offered crores of rupees but turned them down.
"You can't even imagine the market they have set up. They offered three people (MNS candidates), Shailesh, Manisha and Pooja Dhatrak, Rs 15 crore (to withdraw nominations). They rejected the offer. Rajashree Naik turned down the Rs 5 crore offer. Sushil Awte turned down Rs 1 crore," he said.
Thackeray asserted that there was "no control" over the alleged distribution of money to opposition candidates and "there is no point going to the police or courts".
"You only see two or three people. But they have distributed money across Maharashtra. I don't know where such money (in crores) is coming from. I have been seeing elections for many years, but never one like this. There is no control. There is no point going to the police or courts," he added.
His allegations come after several candidates fielded by the ruling Mahayuti across Maharashtra have won unopposed in the upcoming local body polls.
On January 2, the last day to withdraw nominations, seven candidates from the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena were elected unopposed in the Thane Municipal polls.
The seven Shiv Sena candidates were declared winners even before a single vote was cast, as opposition parties and other candidates either withdrew or had their nominations rejected.
The polling for 29 municipal corporation elections across the state, including Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad, is scheduled for January 15. The vote counting will take place on January 16. (ANI)