4 min readPuneNov 17, 2025 01:19 PM IST
First published on: Nov 17, 2025 at 01:19 PM IST
The Maharashtra Election Commission is probing the allegations of a woman candidate—a farmer being fielded by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s NCP for a Nagar panchayat poll in Solapur district who is being prevented from filing her nomination by some ”anti-social elements” for the last two days.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Sunday, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said, “We will look into the matter.”
The allegations were raised by NCP Solapur district president Umesh Patil at a press conference on Sunday. Speaking to The Indian Express, Patil said the matter pertains to Angar Nagar panchayat in Solapur district. ”Earlier, Anghar was a gram panchayat which had a tradition of electing candidates unopposed for the last 60 years. Even though now it has become a Nagar panchayat, some people want to continue the same tradition that was going on for so long by threatening candidates, forcing them to withdraw from the race and getting elected unopposed. What kind of tradition is this ? What are the election officers and the State Election Commission doing?” he asked.
Patil said the candidate, Ujwala Thite, went to file nominations on three occasions in the last one week. ”However, goons are blocking her way by placing tractors on the roads. She is being chased by goons brandishing sharp weapons. Every trick is being used to prevent her from filing the nomination papers for presidentship of the Nagar panchayat.”
Alleging that a former minister who is now in the BJP was the mastermind, Patil said, “The Angar Nagar panchayat is controlled by a former state minister. He wants all his candidates to get elected unopposed and is therefore trying to trample upon democratic norms by not allowing rival candidates to file nomination papers.”
The NCP said they have alerted District Collector Kumar Ashirwad and Superintendent of Police Atul Kulkarni and urged them to provide security to the candidate. ”However, nothing has happened so far. Tomorrow is the last day for filing nomination papers..We have no clue what will happen,” he said. When contacted, neither the district collector nor the SP responded.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Ujwala Thite said, ”I have been trying to reach the election office for filing nominations. But on three occasions I had to return without filing nomination papers. Some people are blocking my way by putting an array of vehicles on the roads. There are seven roads to reach the election office. All roads are being blocked.”
Thite said she had approached the District Collector and also the Superintendent of Police. “The SP had directed the local police station to provide me protection. But no police protection has been provided,” she alleged adding that hundreds of people are chasing her away from the village.
The woman, who is a widow, lives in Mohol and the Angar Nagar panchayat is located at a distance of 12 kilometres. “I want the receipts for the payment of my property tax and water tax. I have applied for them. But the Nagar panchayat office is not giving me the receipts. They are refusing to give me a ‘no dues’ certificate. I have also applied for a copy of the draft voters list, which the CEO is refusing to provide…I have also applied for a certificate for constructing toilet and using it. The Nagar panchayat is refusing to give me the certificate. Officials are saying you live in Pune, and therefore we cannot give you the certificate,” she said.
Thite (41), a graduate in arts in Nashik, said she is a first-time candidate. “I have a 28 acre farm. My husband and my in-laws have passed away. I have a son and no one else. I am living in Pune as a political leader and the goons keep threatening me,” she said.
Maharashtra Election Commission probes poll intimidation claims after candidate Ujwala Thite is denied security and documentation. (File) 
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