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65% cast votes, as rift in Munde family escalates
Nearly 65 per cent of a total 3.89 crore voters on Tuesday exercised their franchise in a by and large peaceful poll to the 27 Zilla Parishads in Maharashtra, even as the rift within the Munde household escalated sparking tension in Beed district of Marathwada region.
On a day when incidents of stone throwing were reported from Yavatmal and Latur districts, the polling began on a dull note and picked up in the afternoon, with voters queuing up in front of the polling booths in large numbers in most parts of the State.
By the time the polling ended at 5.30 pm, an estimated 65 per cent of the total voters had exercised their franchise, in the local body polls, being held to elect 1,624 seats in 27 Zilla Parishad and 3,218 seats in 305 panchayat samitis across the State.
A maximum polling was reported from most districts of western Maharashtra like Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara, while low polling had been reported from districts like Wardha, Jalgaon and Latur till late in the afternoon.
In a development that caused some concern for the State election authorities, the malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported from one polling booth each from Sangli, Kolhapur and Beed districts. In polling station no 188 in Walva Taluka of Sangli district, so defective was the EVM that whichever the button that voters pressed that the vote would go to the NCP.
A similar incident was reported from the neighbouring Kohapur district, where two EVMs were found to be defective. After several voters complained about the defective voting machines in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, the authorities sealed the EVMs in question and installed another voting machine. By the time the defective EVM was replaced, more than 300 votes each had been polled.
In Yavatmal district, some miscreants hurled stones at Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Manikrao Thakre’s car. Guardian Minister of the district Nitin Raut was present with Thakre at that time. However, both were not injured.
Similarly, some miscreants hurled stones at a police vehicle in Latur district. In Gadchiroli and Beed districts, the police seized huge cash meant for distribution to voters, while the authorities seized liquor bottles in Nagpur.
In a related development, senior BJP Gopinath Munde’s home district of Beed in Marathwada region reverberated to the allegations and counter allegations made by him and his estranged elder brother Pandit Anna and his MLC-son Dhananjay Munde, both of whom are now with the ruling NCP.
Gopinath Munde lodged a complaint with Shirala police station on an incident in which some miscreants hurled stones at his MLA-daughter Pankja’s car on Monday evening. Simultaneously, Pandit Anna and his son Dhananjay Munde made a complaint at the same police about the pelting of stones on their vehicle.
At one stage, all the Munde family members were present at the Shirala police station, where two Munde brothers had a verbal duel. Both sides were accusing each other for triggering violence.
Pandit Anna, who joined the Sharad Pawar-led party last month, is contesting the Beed ZP poll, as an NCP candidate.
Talking to mediapersons later, Gopinath Munde alleged that the attack on his daughter’s car was part of the ruling NCP-hatched conspiracy “My daughter is an MLA. Her security was withdrawn all of a sudden. After the security was withdrawn, some people hurled stones at her, fortunately she escaped the attack. I have a reason to believe that the NCP goons and police are in collusion with each other,” Munde said.
He also alleged that NCP MLA from Ashti Suresh Dhas and his MLC-nephew Dhanjay were behind the incidents of violence in Beed and that they were being supported by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
He also charged that Ajitdada was using money and muscle power to capture power in the Beed ZP.
On his part, Ajitdada denied Munde’s charge and said that the NCP had nothing to do with the stone throwing incident.
“The NCP had nothing to do with the Beed incident. It is a fallout of a rift within the Munde family. Instead of us unnecessarily, it is for Munde to take care of his domestic issues,” the DCM said, alleging that the senior BJP leader was spreading false information to evoke sympathy for him in the ZP poll.
Nearly 65 per cent of a total 3.89 crore voters on Tuesday exercised their franchise in a by and large peaceful poll to the 27 Zilla Parishads in Maharashtra, even as the rift within the Munde household escalated sparking tension in Beed district of Marathwada region.
On a day when incidents of stone throwing were reported from Yavatmal and Latur districts, the polling began on a dull note and picked up in the afternoon, with voters queuing up in front of the polling booths in large numbers in most parts of the State.
By the time the polling ended at 5.30 pm, an estimated 65 per cent of the total voters had exercised their franchise, in the local body polls, being held to elect 1,624 seats in 27 Zilla Parishad and 3,218 seats in 305 panchayat samitis across the State.
A maximum polling was reported from most districts of western Maharashtra like Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara, while low polling had been reported from districts like Wardha, Jalgaon and Latur till late in the afternoon.
In a development that caused some concern for the State election authorities, the malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported from one polling booth each from Sangli, Kolhapur and Beed districts. In polling station no 188 in Walva Taluka of Sangli district, so defective was the EVM that whichever the button that voters pressed that the vote would go to the NCP.
A similar incident was reported from the neighbouring Kohapur district, where two EVMs were found to be defective. After several voters complained about the defective voting machines in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, the authorities sealed the EVMs in question and installed another voting machine. By the time the defective EVM was replaced, more than 300 votes each had been polled.
In Yavatmal district, some miscreants hurled stones at Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Manikrao Thakre’s car. Guardian Minister of the district Nitin Raut was present with Thakre at that time. However, both were not injured.
Similarly, some miscreants hurled stones at a police vehicle in Latur district. In Gadchiroli and Beed districts, the police seized huge cash meant for distribution to voters, while the authorities seized liquor bottles in Nagpur.
In a related development, senior BJP Gopinath Munde’s home district of Beed in Marathwada region reverberated to the allegations and counter allegations made by him and his estranged elder brother Pandit Anna and his MLC-son Dhananjay Munde, both of whom are now with the ruling NCP.
Gopinath Munde lodged a complaint with Shirala police station on an incident in which some miscreants hurled stones at his MLA-daughter Pankja’s car on Monday evening. Simultaneously, Pandit Anna and his son Dhananjay Munde made a complaint at the same police about the pelting of stones on their vehicle.
At one stage, all the Munde family members were present at the Shirala police station, where two Munde brothers had a verbal duel. Both sides were accusing each other for triggering violence.
Pandit Anna, who joined the Sharad Pawar-led party last month, is contesting the Beed ZP poll, as an NCP candidate.
Talking to mediapersons later, Gopinath Munde alleged that the attack on his daughter’s car was part of the ruling NCP-hatched conspiracy “My daughter is an MLA. Her security was withdrawn all of a sudden. After the security was withdrawn, some people hurled stones at her, fortunately she escaped the attack. I have a reason to believe that the NCP goons and police are in collusion with each other,” Munde said.
He also alleged that NCP MLA from Ashti Suresh Dhas and his MLC-nephew Dhanjay were behind the incidents of violence in Beed and that they were being supported by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
He also charged that Ajitdada was using money and muscle power to capture power in the Beed ZP.
On his part, Ajitdada denied Munde’s charge and said that the NCP had nothing to do with the stone throwing incident.
“The NCP had nothing to do with the Beed incident. It is a fallout of a rift within the Munde family. Instead of us unnecessarily, it is for Munde to take care of his domestic issues,” the DCM said, alleging that the senior BJP leader was spreading false information to evoke sympathy for him in the ZP poll.
