BJP's Mumbai North-East candidate, Mihir Kotecha, has made serious allegations regarding an attack on his election rally in the Mankhurd area, purportedly orchestrated by 'goons' affiliated with Sena (UBT) nominee Sanjay Dina Patil. According to Kotecha, the incident resulted in injuries to a female party worker. In response, Kotecha has issued a challenge to Patil, announcing plans for another rally in the same area on May 1, Maharashtra Day, daring the alleged perpetrators to confront him directly instead of resorting to clandestine tactics.
Expressing his concern over the incident, Kotecha emphasized that such acts of violence would not be tolerated, condemning what he referred to as 'goonda raj'. He further asserted that the alleged aggression by Patil's associates stems from their apprehension of an impending defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.
Following the attack, the BJP lodged a complaint at the Deonar police station, leading to the registration of an FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against an unknown assailant. Niharika Khondale, the injured party worker, detailed the incident in her statement, highlighting the deliberate nature of the attack aimed at instilling fear among activists.
However, Sanjay Patil, the Sena (UBT) leader, has vehemently denied the allegations, suggesting that the BJP may have orchestrated the attacks for publicity purposes. Dismissing the accusations as baseless, Patil urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth, expressing suspicion that such incidents might be engineered to sow communal discord ahead of the elections.
Amidst these developments, the electoral race for the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai intensifies, with elections scheduled for May 20. As the nomination deadline looms on May 3, the political atmosphere remains charged with allegations and counter-allegations, underscoring the heightened tensions surrounding the electoral process.
