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Satara ZP election controversy: Supriya Sule questions ‘mastermind’ behind poll upset; defends police
Baramati MP Supriya Sule said she will write a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Satara Zilla Parishad polls.
NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session, in New Delhi on Monday. (Source: Sansad TV)
While strongly condemning the political developments in the Satara Zilla Parishad polls, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said Tuesday the police should not be blamed for the incident, as she questioned the “invisible political power” she alleged was influencing their actions.
While speaking to reporters in Delhi on the Satara Zilla Parishad presidency polls, where the BJP won despite its allies, the Shiv Sena and the NCP, having a majority, Sule said she will write a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
In the elections for the post of Satara ZP president held last Friday, the BJP’s Priya Shinde emerged victorious, defeating the nearest nominee backed by the Shiv Sena-NCP alliance.
On Monday, Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of manipulating the polls. In a scathing attack in the Maharashtra Assembly and outside, Desai said, “The BJP has murdered democracy.”
Members of the Shiv Sena and Makarand Patil from the NCP also protested on the steps of Vidhan Bhawan.
The Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleged that the BJP engineered defections to win the presidency post. At the eleventh hour, two members each from the Shiv Sena and the NCP were allegedly poached, while two members elected on the Shiv Sena symbol were disqualified to reduce its strength.
The party further alleged that the BJP used the police to influence the polls and that police personnel manhandled Sena minister Desai and other members.
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However, Sule said the police cannot be blamed for the incident. “I have known the Maharashtra police force, which is the best. They will never indulge in such things. The question is: who is the mastermind behind it? What is that invisible political power which is driving the police to act? We have to question misuse of power,” she said.
“It was very unfortunate to see such political manipulation in Maharashtra, which has always been guided by the democracy of Dr B R Ambedkar.”
To achieve victory at any cost, if a ruling party misuses its power, it is disgraceful, she said.
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