BJP ropes in wrestler with police record

Police sources said Bandal was booked in a case of extortion lodged by Arihant Company in Shirur. He was also booked in a case of atrocity against a Dalit woman at Jategaon Budruk village. A few years ago,police had also raided his hotel in Shikrapur for allegedly operating a dance bar. Police had issued a notice of externment against Bandal.

When asked about the criminal record,Tawde said,“Bandal is not a criminal. We have verified his police record. The cases were lodged against him out of political rivalry. A person is externed if he is involved in murder or attempt to murder cases. There is no such case against Bandal.”

“Bandal has been fighting for jobs for bhumiputras (sons of the soil) in Arihant Company at Shirur. But a false case of extortion was lodged against him. We are sure he would make the party strong in the district,” Tawde said,adding that Bandal has been included in the party after his meeting with senior leaders Gopinath Munde and Nitin Gadkari. Bandal said,“I am falsely implicated in the cases. My rivals NCP were not happy as I was contesting successfully as independent candidate.”

BJP had earlier faced humiliation after its corporator Datta Khade from Shivajinagar was sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case.

BJP paper on vision for state
The BJP will be releasing its “Maharashtra Vision Document” as a part of its assembly election campaign. “Our campaign will focus more on the vision of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance for Maharashtra for next 10-15 years. BJP is in favour of development politics. So we have prepared the Maharashtra Vision Document,which is different than the party manifesto. The vision document describes our long term plans for the development of state,” said Vinod Tawde. “The vision document will be released in Pune on September 20,in the presence of senior BJP leaders,” he said.