The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a serious accusation against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging deliberate sabotage of the electoral process in a key Mumbai ward. On Wednesday, AAP claimed that BJP's Colaba MLA and Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, "hijacked" election machinery to prevent its candidate from filing nomination papers for the civic polls.
Allegations of Deliberate Obstruction
AAP stated that its candidate from Ward 227, Margaret Da Costa, was intentionally stopped from submitting her nomination despite being present well before the official deadline. The party described Da Costa as a senior citizen belonging to a minority community. They accused the Returning Officer (RO) of acting illegally and under the direct influence of Rahul Narwekar, which resulted in Da Costa being denied her democratic right to contest.
The party asserted that Da Costa entered the RO's premises before the 5 pm cutoff and completed all mandatory formalities. This included the payment of the required nomination fee of Rs 2,500. Her nomination form and affidavit were reportedly checked by officials, after which she was asked to wait to be called into the RO's chamber for final submission.
CCTV Evidence and Official Complaint
AAP has pointed to potential video evidence to support its claims. "CCTV footage of the premises can validate that our candidate was inside the office well within time," a party representative stated. Following the incident, AAP's Mumbai president, Preeti Sharma Menon, said the party has formally lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission and vowed to pursue the matter further to ensure justice.
The core of AAP's allegation is that Narwekar interfered with the RO's office's functioning and that the due process mandated under election rules was blatantly ignored. This, they claim, amounts to a misuse of power and a direct attack on free and fair elections.
BJP's Firm Rejection and Counterclaim
The BJP has categorically rejected all allegations as fabricated. Makarand Narwekar, the BJP candidate from the adjacent Ward 226 and brother of Rahul Narwekar, defended the Speaker. He termed AAP's accusations "baseless and untrue."
Makarand Narwekar explained that Rahul Narwekar was present at the RO's office solely to support the filing of nominations by official BJP candidates, a common practice for senior party leaders. He suggested that blaming other parties for interference is a tactic to deflect attention from AAP's own internal shortcomings and lack of preparedness.
"It is unfortunate that such false allegations are being made against the Speaker," Makarand Narwekar said. He reiterated the BJP's faith in democratic principles, adding, "We believe in fighting elections democratically and fairly and trust the election process." The controversy has set the stage for a heated political battle in the lead-up to the Mumbai civic elections.
