Voting underway in Ambernath municipal council amid Mahayuti power tussle

Voting began on a brisk note in tight security in Ambernath municipal council in Thane district on Saturday amid allegations of the distribution of money to voters and tampering with an EVMThe runup to the election was marred by firing at the office of a BJP candidatePolling has been going on smoothly according to an official from the police control roomVoting is underway to elect councillors and the president of the Ambernath municipal councilThe BJP and Shiv Sena who are ruling allies are pitted against each otherAn officebearer of the BJP and Congress leaders alleged that the Shiv Sena had lodged more than 200 women who are not locals in a marriage hall possibly to use them for bogus voting reported PTIDeputy Commissioner of Police Ulhasnagar division Sachin Gore said police had received a complaint and are verifying it reported PTIHe said 208 women who are from outside Ambernath were found inside the hall The police and the election department personnel are verifying their credentials and IDs he added reported PTIMeanwhile Nationalist Congress Party leaders alleged that some BJP activists were distributing money while the Shiv Sena has lodged a complaint alleging tampering of EVMs reported PTIAll efforts to gather details of the alleged incident from the police failed as the majority of the personnel are busy with the election bandobust duty and are not reachable reported PTIVoting begins in 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in MaharashtraMeanwhile polling began for the posts of president and members in 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra as well as for 143 vacant member posts in these local bodies on Saturday morningVoting began at 730 AM and will continue till 530 PMCounting of votes for all municipal councils and nagar panchayats including those which went to polls on December 2 will take place on December 21 the State Election Commission said in a statementIn the first phase votes were cast for 263 municipal councils and nagar panchayatsMunicipal presidents and members had been elected unopposed in many placesCounting of votes at all concerned locations will begin at 10 am on December 21In some places the ruling alliance partners including the BJP Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawars NCP are contesting against each otherThe poll battle became multidimensional with the BJPled Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA locking horns interspersed by friendly fights among the alliancesWith inputs from PTI