A day before the city goes to polls to elect a new set of 227 corporators for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Shiv Sena filed a complaint with the State Election Commission (SEC) against Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis for violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) by giving interviews to television channels even after the end of campaigning.
“As per the rule, no campaign should be allowed 48 hours before the poll. Despite these strictures, the CM held interviews with television channels, which is an attempt to influence voters. We have submitted our complaint on the breach of the MCC to the SEC,” said Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai in a press conference held on Monday. Mr. Desai added that if the SEC fails to take any action against Mr. Fadnavis, the Shiv Sena might consider approaching court.
Reacting to the Shiv Sena’s allegations, the BJP said that its Opposition was “nothing but a cry baby”. “The CM has been in Parliamentary politics for the last 25 years. He knows what to say at what time. He has not breached any code of conduct. Even after that, if the Sena complains, the law is capable of taking action,” said BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.
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Another Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut slammed the CM for giving interviews at his official residence even after campaigning for the February 21 poll had officially stopped. “He has been giving interviews by tucking a lotus [the BJP’s poll sign] in his shirt. This is the violation of his position,” he said.
Mr. Raut claimed that the CM is threatening other parties using his official position. “Is this the transparency that you are talking about? If the CM can get permission, why should not others too get it? We have firm reasons to believe that the CM’s interviews are nothing but a form of paid news.”
Referring to a fake letter circulating on social media with his signature on it, Mr. Raut asked the SEC to inquire into who was behind it: “There have been talks about taking action against Uddhav Thackeray in the allegations of money laundering. We want to ask, who has stopped the CM from taking action?”
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Meanwhile, the State Election Commissioner J.S. Saharia said that the SEC will look into the complaints once they receive it. Commenting on the BJP’s demand for banning the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna on the day of election, Mr. Saharia said that he had asked for a reply from Saamna and received it. “Once we analyse it, we will decide on further action.”