Don't eat if your parents don't vote for me: Shiv Sena MLA's bizarre diktat to kids
Mumbai (PTI): An MLA of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has courted controversy by asking children not to eat for two days if their parents don't vote for him.
Kalamnuri MLA Santosh Bangar's remarks came less than a week after the Election Commission issued directives against the use of children in poll-related activities.
"If your parents don't vote for me in the next election, don't eat for two days," Bangar is seen telling school children in a viral video, shot when he visited a zilla parishad school in Hingoli district.
Bangar is seen telling the puzzled students, all less than 10 years old, that if their parents question their refusal to eat, they should reply, "Vote for Santosh Bangar, only then will we eat."
The MLA then asked the children to repeat and recite what they would say in front of their parents about whom to vote for in the next elections.
Bangar's remarks have prompted leaders from the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP to seek action against him.
NCP-SP spokesperson Clyde Crasto said, "What Bangar told the school children goes against the directive of the Election Commission, therefore, strict action must be taken against him. He is a repeat offender and goes scot-free as he is an ally of the BJP. The Commission must act against him without prejudice."
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar sought action by the Election Commission against Bangar and also wondered if the state education minister was sleeping when an MLA of his party was making such remarks to school children.
Bangar is known for his shocking remarks and actions, which have been the subject of much controversy in the past.
Last month, he said he would hang himself if Narendra Modi did not return as Prime Minister after the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
In August last year, he was booked by the Kalamnuri police for allegedly brandishing a sword during a festive rally.
In 2022, a video of him slapping a catering manager of a midday meal programme for labourers had gone viral.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
