Former Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut sends notice, urges EC to cancel Narayan Rane’s election

Raut has sent a legal notice to the EC through lawyers Asim Sarode, Kishore Warak and Shriya Awle.

The notice alleges that BJP workers were campaigning for Narayan Rane on May 6 even though the campaigning period had ended on May 5. It claims that after campaigning ended, a video surfaced where Rane’s supporters were seen distributing money to voters by showing them an EVM and asking them to vote for Rane.

The notice further alleges that Narayan Rane’s son MLA Nitesh Rane held a public meeting on April 13 where voters were threatened that if the BJP candidate did not get a lead from a particular area, they would not get funds. “In one of the public meetings, Mr Nitesh Rane said, ‘In case we will not get lead as expected I will provide budget in accordance with the votes gained in our favour and I will take account and audit from all the village sarpanches. Sarpanches will be taken and his aim of saying this was that he will settle everyone’s account if they will not support the BJP candidate. Though the above statement by Mr Nitesh Rane was made when Mr Narayan Rane’s candidature was not declared, the election Code of Conduct was declared and hence his statement can also be considered as creating threatening atmosphere to disturb the free and fair election process,” the notice claimed.

“Voting and counting of votes did not take place in many places in a free and transparent environment. The fact that some election results were announced with the help of officials by allowing corruption in a selective manner, ignoring the corruption and illegal practices of the BJP people, shows the abuse of the democratic system and everyone who loves India as a citizen should express concern about it,” Sarode said.