“Polls without voting,” Actor Kishore flags concerns over unopposed election of Mahayuti candidates
Bengaluru: Popular Actor Kishore Kumar has expressed concern over the unopposed election of 68 Mahayuti alliance candidates before the polling date, January 15.
Of the 68 candidates elected unopposed across the state, 44 belong to the BJP.
In a post on his Facebook handle, Kishore wrote, "Mother of democracy- Only democracy where elections happen without voting"
The BJP-led alliance is also poised to take control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s richest civic body. Out of the 227 seats in the BMC, the Mahayuti alliance has secured 118 seats, with the BJP winning 89 seats and its ally, the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), securing 29 seats.
Why did so many candidates get elected unopposed?
The unusually high number of unopposed victories in Maharashtra’s civic polls is reportedly the result of mass withdrawals by opposition candidates on the final day of nominations, leaving Mahayuti nominees as the sole contenders in several wards.
Opposition alleges coercion, money power behind withdrawals
Meanwhile, opposition parties have alleged that the unopposed elections were won through intimidation and inducements.
Leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, MNS, AAP and Samajwadi Party have claimed that rival candidates were pressured to withdraw, with allegations ranging from threats to offers of large sums of money.
According to a report by The Hindu, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that candidates were offered up to ₹5 crore to exit the race.
In the meantime, Avinash Anant Jadhav of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has filed a writ petition filed in the Bombay High Court seeking judicial intervention to probe the circumstances behind these mass withdrawals.
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Three youths killed in road accident
Bengaluru (PTI): Three youths lost their lives in a road accident near Agalakote village under Devanahalli Traffic Police near here on Saturday, police said.
The incident happened when their two-wheeler lost control and jumped a median, and they were run over by a lorry, they said.
According to police, all the three were said to be college students. While one was 20 years of age, the other two are said to be 19 years old.
The youth who was riding the two-wheeler, along with his two friends as pillions, was allegedly riding it at a high speed, they said.
While negotiating a curve, he lost control of the vehicle, which hit the median and jumped over to the other side, throwing the three on the opposite road lane. The lorry that was allegedly speeding ran over them, killing all of them on the spot.
Police have registered the case and have named both -- the person riding the bike and the lorry driver -- in the FIR, officials said, and added that further investigation is underway.
