Mumbai: Assembly Maharashtra elections will be held on November 20. However, the state is suddenly buzzing with activities, and on an action-packed Tuesday, the state witnessed key changes, especially in the ruling Shiv Sena and BJP parties.
Election Commission approves appointment of new DGP
Firstly, the Election Commission of India approved the appointment of IPS officer Sanjay Kumar Verma as the new DGP of the State on Tuesday.
Verma, of the 1990 batch, is currently the Director General, Law and Technical. He is due to retire in April 2028.
Verma’s appointment came a day after the poll panel removed incumbent Rashmi Shukla, an IPS officer of the 1988 batch, amid the opposition’s allegation of bias in her functioning. Until the new appointment, the state government had given charge of the DGP to Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar.
The state government had submitted a panel of three IPS officers, including Verma, Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, and Ritesh Kumar, to succeed Shukla. The ECI has cleared Verma’s name for the post.
Verma’s appointment, just days before the Assembly elections, is a testament to the Election Commission’s commitment to fair and transparent elections. Shukla’s removal, following the opposition’s plea to the ECI, further reinforces this commitment.
The Congress had written three letters to the EC to press for Shukla’s removal, alleging that she was working for the BJP while targeting opposition leaders, especially during the ongoing election process.
The opposition also raised her role in their phone tapping, which she illegally did in 2015 and 2019 when the BJP-led government was in power in the state. The MahaYuti government appointed Shukla as state DGP in January this year, with a tenure until January 2026, though she was set to retire in June this year.
State Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut reiterated their demand for the immediate removal of DGP Shukla last week. Patole claimed that Shukla is a controversial officer who has sided with the BJP, and with her in office, there are doubts about the elections being conducted fairly and transparently. He said that Congress had appealed to the Election Commission of India to remove Shukla from her post, but the poll panel ignored it.
“When the BJP requested the removal of the DGPs in West Bengal and Jharkhand, they were promptly replaced, but the Election Commission has not yet removed Maharashtra’s DGP,” said Patole.
“Is there a different law for Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Maharashtra? For a fair and transparent election, Shukla should be immediately removed,’’ he added.
“Shukla has allegedly instructed Police Commissioners and district police officers to file cases against opposition leaders and harass them. The police machinery is reportedly obstructing opposition leaders and workers, pressuring and threatening them. Rashmi Shukla’s approach has been controversial in the past, as she was involved in the phone tapping of opposition leaders and has had cases registered against her,” Patole claimed.
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BJP Backtracks to Support Shiv Sena Nominee Sarvankar Instead of MNS in Mahim
In a strategic move, the BJP declared its support for the Shiv Sena nominee Sada Sarvankar in the Mahim constituency, rather than the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena candidate Amit Thackeray. This decision, following Sarvankar’s refusal to withdraw his candidature, adds an intriguing twist to the political landscape.
The BJP’s move comes after Sarvankar remained adamant despite repeated calls to withdraw his candidature in favour of Amit Thackeray.
Sarvankar’s decision to fight the elections has left the BJP with no option but to support him in adherence to the alliance dharma.
Further, the BJP’s move for the moment has stopped its efforts to bring the MNS into the Mahayuti or extend its support to the MNS in a few other seats to checkmate the Shiv Sena UBT in particular and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in general.
Sarvankar, a three-term legislator, will face a triangular contest in the Mahim constituency. He is pitted against MNS nominee Amit Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Mahesh Sawant.
“As far as the Mahayuti is concerned, the issue of the Mahim constituency is over. Now, Sada Sarvankar is Mahayuti’s candidate, and we will work for his victory. However, if the leaders of Mahayuti partners, including BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, take a different decision after due discussion, then it will be a different story,” said Shelar.
Shelar’s statement has brought cheers in the Sada Sarvankar camp, which now hopes to garner votes from non-Marathi voters, especially Jain, Gujarati, and others.
The BJP’s move to change its stand comes after Raj Thackeray launched blistering attacks against the Mahayuti on Monday and also targeted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for joining hands with NCP chief Ajit Pawar in the government despite his criticism against him after his rebellion.
It was Shelar, along with a slew of leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis and party legislators Prasad Lad and Nitesh Rane, who were at the forefront of arguing that the Mahayuti should support Amit Thackeray in Mahim, especially because the MNS chief Raj Thackeray had extended his support to the Mahayuti during the Lok Sabha elections. This move was seen as a potential game-changer in the Mahim constituency.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held several meetings with Sarvankar to seek his views, but the latter was reluctant to withdraw his nomination. He cited that MNS was not a part of the Mahayuti and that his withdrawal would help the Shiv Sena (UBT) in a big way.
Amid mounting pressure from the BJP, the Chief Minister left the decision to Sarvankar and the Shiv Sainiks from the Mahim constituency.
Thereafter, Sarvankar sought a meeting with Raj Thackeray on Monday before the deadline for withdrawing nominations ended at 3 p.m.
However, after Raj Thackeray’s refusal to meet him, Sarvankar declared that he would contest from Mahim.
Sarvankar, during his meeting with the Chief Minister yesterday, said he has explained his stand to him. His decision to contest the elections despite pressure from the BJP and the potential impact on the Mahayuti’s chances in the Mahim constituency has added a new dimension to the election dynamics.
“Even if I withdraw, there is no chance that Amit Thackeray will be elected. This I brought to the CM’s notice,” he added.
Sarvankar had pleaded with the Chief Minister not to become a victim, as his victory was crucial in increasing the Mahayuti’s tally.
Sarvankar had also appealed to Raj Thackeray not to do injustice to him to support a common Shiv Sainik.
“I had thought of withdrawing from the Mahim constituency on a condition that MNS should withdraw candidates so that more Mahayuti nominees win the elections. In some seats, MNS has shown willingness. However, I am saying that Amitji should be elected after I withdraw my nomination,” said Sarvankar.
“If I withdraw my nomination, a third party (Shiv Sena-UBT) will benefit,” he added.
He claimed that grassroots BJP workers are with him, and they will support him.
Dr Heena Gavit’s decision to contest as an Independent may cost BJP the Akkalkuwa seat
Meanwhile, The BJP received a major jolt after its two-term MP, Dr Heena Gavit, quit the party, especially after she decided to contest from the Akkalkuwa constituency as an Independent, defying the party’s diktat.
In her resignation letter, Gavit, the daughter of BJP minister and nominee Dr Vijaykumar Gavit, said, “I am resigning so that the party does not face any problem because of my decision to contest as an Independent.”
She is pitted against Shiv Sena legislator and nominee Aamshya Padvi, as well as Congress nominee and former minister KC Padvi.
Gavit’s decision has made the contest for both Shiv Sena and Congress nominees tougher.
The state BJP leaders, including Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and others, including her father, made efforts to get her to withdraw and toe the party line, but this did not yield positive results.
“I was insisting that the BJP should get Akkalkuwa constituency in its quota. When I was an MP, many development works were carried out in the Akkalkuwa constituency. I will benefit from these development works as the voters will recognise my work and vote for me to win the election,” said Heena Gavit.
She also justified her decision to contest as an Independent, saying, “I decided to run as an Independent because the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has been constantly working against the BJP in Nandurbar district.”
Heena Gavit’s decision was a major setback, considering the BJP had made sufficient inroads in the tribal-dominated Nandurbar district and North Maharashtra since 2014.
Despite the BJP riding on a Modi wave, Heena Gavit lost to the Congress candidate in the Lok Sabha elections and missed scoring a hat trick from the Nandurbar constituency.
Undeterred by her defeat, Gavit had stepped up her outreach with voters from Akkalkuwa.
She reiterated that she expected the BJP to win the Akkalkuwa seat during seat-sharing talks with the Shiv Sena and NCP.
However, she claimed she decided to enter into the electoral fray as an Independent after Shiv Sena bagged the Akkalkuwa seat to increase the pace of growth in the tribal area.
Heena Gavit, a doctor by profession, was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and became the youngest MP.
After the BJP renominated her, considering her work in the constituency and performance in the Lok Sabha, she won again in the 2019 elections.
She had led scathing attacks during her interventions against the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi.
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–IANS
Heena Gavit. (Photo: Twitter/@DrHeena_Gavit)
