A complaint of theft has been registered by the Mumbai unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against a former probable candidate, escalating tensions ahead of the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. The case centres around the alleged misappropriation and submission of a vital party document known as the AB form.
The Complaint and Sequence of Events
Dinesh Jagtap, the office secretary of the BJP's Mumbai unit, formally lodged a complaint with the Sion police against one Shilpa Keluskar. The police have registered a case for theft based on this complaint. According to the details provided, the controversy began when Keluskar was initially considered as a party candidate for the upcoming civic polls.
She was consequently given the party's official AB form, a mandatory document for a candidate to file nomination as a party representative. However, in a strategic shift, the BJP later decided to leave the specific seat, identified as Ward No. 173, for its ally, the Shiv Sena, as part of a seat-sharing agreement.
Alleged Theft and Duplicate Submission
Following this decision, Keluskar was summoned to the party office and asked to return the AB form. The complaint states that she complied and returned the form on December 29. The document was then stored in an office drawer. The situation took a dramatic turn on December 31.
On that day, Ramdas Kamble, the husband of Shiv Sena candidate Puja Kamble, visited the BJP office and informed officials that Shilpa Keluskar had submitted an AB form for the same ward, signed by the Mumbai BJP president. An immediate check of the office drawer revealed that the returned form was missing.
Formal Complaint to Election Authorities
Parallel to the police action, the BJP also moved on the electoral front. Ameet Satam, the President of the BJP's Mumbai unit, lodged a formal complaint with the election officer overseeing the BMC election on December 31 itself.
In this complaint, Satam alleged that Keluskar had submitted a duplicate AB form of the party and filed her nomination papers posing as the BJP's official candidate from Ward No. 173. This action, if proven, could have significant implications for the candidacy and the electoral process in that ward.
Ongoing Investigation and Implications
The Sion police are now investigating the case of theft. The core of the matter rests on how the AB form, which was reportedly secured in the party office after its return, went missing and allegedly resurfaced with the election authorities. The case highlights the intense behind-the-scenes manoeuvring and occasional friction that accompanies seat-sharing agreements between political allies during election season.
This incident underscores the critical importance of the AB form in Indian elections, which serves as the official party authorization for a candidate. Any dispute over its legitimacy can lead to the rejection of a nomination or legal challenges, making its safekeeping a top priority for political parties.
