PCMC election 2017: Money, liquor and biryani ‘flowed freely’

Confirming that they have received several complaints on the issue, PCMC officials said even before election day, they had come across several cases where sewing machines and other household items, liquor bottles and even plates of biryani were distributed by various candidates to influence voters.

“We have recovered several coupons which were given by candidates to voters to purchase different items and liquor from nearby shops. We have registered complaints with the returning officers,” said PCMC poll official Suresh Jadhav.

A deputy collector with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Jadhav said he has forwarded his report on the “different kinds of malpractices undertaken by candidates and their supporters”. “Hundreds of such cases came to light…I have sent the report to senior officials,” he said.

Jadhav said whenever they received complaints about distribution of money or other bribes, their team would reach the spot in less then 10 minutes. “But in some cases, it was noted that the complainants were trying to mislead us as we found nothing at the site.

Incidentally, though the BJP and the NCP are busy trading charges against each other, neither party has so far approached the Election Commission, arguing that they have no concrete proof of money being distributed among voters.

“We have lodged complaints regarding tampering of EVM machines, but not on the use of money to influence voters,” said Sanjog Waghere, president of NCP’s Pimpri-Chinchwad unit. The BJP has also not lodged an official complaint so far.

According to defeated Shiv Sena candidate Maruti Bhapkar, the reluctance to file a complaint “revealed how the two parties were at the forefront of distributing largesse to voters and therefore not ready to lodge complaints, as it would expose them”. Bhapkar said he has decided to approach the President, the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Supreme Court, to bring to their notice “unfair means such as money power employed by wealthy candidates and parties to win elections by hook or crook, thereby demeaning democracy”.

Each candidate, whether the winner or loser, allegedly spent Rs 50 lakh to Rs one crore or more to influence citizens to vote in their favour, said a NCP leader.

As per the Election Commission’s rules, a candidate can spend only up to Rs 8 lakh. In some panels, voting went up to 10.30 pm as voters refused to come to the booths till they were given money, said PCMC officials.

“It happened during the last election as well. Even in this election, candidates offered a huge amount of money to voters in Wakad area. As per my information, citizens were offered Rs 12,000 per vote in Wakad area,” said Sena MP Shrirang Barne.

Bhapkar, who contested on a Sena ticket from Mohannagar-Akurdi area, alleged,”Wealthy candidates distributed up to Rs 5,000 in the panel. The BJP and the NCP were at the forefront…”.

BJP leader Raju Durge, whose daughter Tejiswini Durge lost by a mere 55 votes from Sambhajinagar panel, said, “Money played a part in this election. If honest and straightforward candidates don’t have money to distribute, you have lesser chance of winning. In Akurdi and nearby areas, candidates distributed up to Rs 4,000 per vote,” he said.

Advocate Sushil Mancharkar, whose wife won from the Kharalwadi-Nehrunagar panel, claimed that rich candidates in their panels had made arrangements for the distribution of liquor and biryani days ahead of polling. “Not only those living in slums and chawls, but even those living in apartments were waiting for candidates to bribe them,” Mancharkar said.

BJP candidate Yashwant Bhosale, who lost to NCP leader Yogesh Behl, said the ‘per vote rate’ in Kasarwadi-Sant Tukaram Nagar panel, “was Rs 5,000”. “Many residents, especially those in Landewadi area, did not come out to vote unless they were given money,” he said. Bhosale added, “My opponents used their money power to defeat me”.

BJP leader Sarang Kamtekar, who lost from Indrayani Nagar area, claimed the NCP “used its wealth to telling effect by offering liquor, food and bribes”. “The BJP is a cadre-based party. Our voters don’t switch loyalties just because they are being offered money. It is not the BJP but the NCP which bought votes,” he said.