Palghar (Maharashtra), May 4: In a jolt to the BJP, family members of the late Lok Sabha member Chintaman Vanga from Palghar walked over to ally Shiv Sena, accusing the former of meting out "injustice".

Jaishree, the widow of Vanga, the BJP MP who died on January 30 in New Delhi after a heart attack, along with her children Srinivas and Prafulla called on Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray late on Thursday and announced their decision to quit the BJP.

"Since the past over 35 years, Chintaman Vanga has built up the party in this region, but the BJP leaders have done injustice to us and totally ignored us. We sought time from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP state President Raosaheb Patil-Danve but we got no response," said Jaishree Vanga.

Accordingly, the family said it had decided to quit the Bharatiya Janata Party and join the Shiv Sena.

Welcoming them to the party fold, Thackeray said the Vanga family had thrown its lot with the Shiv Sena to further the cause of 'Hindutva' ideology and to avoid a split in Hindutva votes.

"We hold the Vanga family in high regards. They have not demanded party ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha bypolls (May 28). We shall discuss the matters jointly with the Shiv Sena workers in Palghar and take a final decision on the candidate," Thackeray said.

He said if it was a matter of getting an election ticket, they could have gone to any party, but they preferred the Shiv Sena on ideological grounds.

Jaishree Vanga said that since the past many decades, they have enjoyed cordial relations with both the Shiv Sena founder-partriarch, the late Bal Thackeray, and his son Uddhav Thackeray.

"Our father worked hard for the party even when it had two MPs, but now after his death, we have been left in the lurch," one of the sons pointed out.

Adding that there would be no alliance with the BJP in any future election, Thackeray said after a meeting with his party leaders, he would take the final call on announcing candidates for the Palghar and Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha bypolls scheduled this month-end.

The ruling BJP has not yet officially reacted to the developments in Palghar, a crucial constituency with a large number of tribals and backward classes voters, around 100 km north of Mumbai.

 

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Bengaluru (PTI): A woman was booked on charges of obstructing a police inspector from discharging his official duties and threatening to commit suicide if he did not accept her love proposal, police said on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old inspector attached to the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station here alleged that the woman repeatedly harassed him, they said.

According to his complaint, the harassment began on October 30, when he started receiving calls from an unknown woman from multiple phone numbers.

During these calls, she allegedly spoke incoherently and claimed to have close links with several highly placed individuals, including the Chief Minister, Deputy CM, Home Minister and other political leaders.

Police said the woman sent photographs via WhatsApp purportedly showing herself with these dignitaries and claimed she could use their influence to compel the inspector to accept her proposal. She also allegedly threatened to use her contacts against him if he refused.

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The inspector said that he advised her to visit the police station and submit a written complaint if she had any grievance. However, she did not do so and instead continued to repeatedly call and send messages, which disturbed his official duties, the FIR said.

According to the FIR, on November 7, the woman allegedly visited his office and handed over an envelope containing some tablets along with handwritten letters. The letters contained emotionally charged and inappropriate content, and the woman claimed they were written using her blood, indicating obsessive behaviour.

Despite being clearly informed that the number she was contacting was an official departmental number meant for public service, she allegedly continued making unnecessary calls and messages, causing mental harassment and obstruction to his day-to-day duties, he alleged.

During the inquiry, police learnt that the woman had allegedly exhibited similar behaviour with other police and government officials in the past, it stated.

On December 12, she allegedly went to his police station and shouted and threatened to commit suicide and ruin the inspector's career if he did not respond to her proposal, prompting him to lodge a complaint.

"Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the woman under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Ramamurthy Nagar Police Station. The matter is under investigation," police said.