BJP-led Mahayuti's greed for power 'swallowing democracy', says Congress leader

With just days to go for the BMC Election 2026 Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday said the BJPled Mahayutirsquos greed for power had reached the point of ldquoswallowing democracyrdquo amid a fierce debate over 68 ruling alliance candidates winning unopposed ahead of the January 15 civic polls news agency PTI reportedThe state Congress chief further said that the Devendra Fadnavis Government is undermining democracy by using pressure threats and money power to force uncontested victories in municipal pollsSapkal while slamming the ruling party asserted The principle of free and fair elections has been severely compromised in the ongoing civic elections Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have wrapped up democracy A blatant money game is underway even before polling The hunger for power of the BJPled Mahayuti has reached the point of swallowing democracyThe Congress chief also claimed that in order to win unopposed leaders of the ruling parties are preventing opposition candidates from filing nomination forms with the help of police and the civic administration PTI reportedHe also added that the Election Commission is a mute spectator while such developments are afootStressing that elections are not new to Indias democratic tradition Sapkal highlighted that opposition parties also have equal importance in a healthy democracy PTI reportedWhile hailing Congressrsquos democratic values and traditions Sapkal said that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehrus cabinet included ministers from nonCongress parties as an example of democratic valuesThe Congress leader also said Voters should be given the option to use None of the Above NOTA even in wards where candidates are elected unopposed so that citizens can exercise their constitutional right to voteSapkal criticises Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul NarwekarSlamming the speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rahul Narwekar had damaged the dignity of his constitutional officeHolders of constitutional positions such as the speaker are expected to rise above political bias but Narwekar has failed to do so Narwekar had earlier weakened the antidefection law and has now descended to a very low level by misusing his position during municipal elections to benefit his relatives Sapkal addedThe Congress leader accused Narwekar of obstructing opposition candidates issuing threats and misusing authority and demanded that the President of India remove him from the postCCTV footage from the incident sites is available and complaints of those who were threatened should be recorded and action taken he said while alleging the inquiry report so far amounted to mere wordplay Sapkal further emphasisedThe allegations of opposition parties pertain to wards numbered 225 226 and 227 in the Colaba constituency where Narwekars kin are in the fray for the January 15 civic polls His brother Makrand sister Gauri Shivalkar and sisterinlaw Harshita Shivalkar are contesting the civic polls from wards 225 226 and 227Narwekar a BJP MLA from Colaba in South Mumbai has dismissed the charges as baseless and politically motivatedThe three parties in the ruling Mahayuti were contesting against each other in civic polls and publicly attacking one another Sapkal said and asserted it was a friendly fight or sham wrestlingSapkal added If they are serious about their differences Ajit Pawar should quit the government or the BJP should show him the doorWith inputs from PTI