Pune: Ajit Pawar's Panel Accused Of Malpractice In Malegaon Sugar Mill Elections

Rival panels contesting the election to Malegaon Cooperative Sugar Mill on Thursday accused the panel led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of malpractices after a bank controlled by him was found open till midnight.

The June 22 election to the sugar mill in Pune district has become a high-stakes battle between NCP chief Ajit Pawar and his uncle, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar.

Sahakar Bachav panel, led by Ranjan Tawre, lodged a complaint with the election officer, while NCP (SP) MP and Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule demanded probe by a special investigation team into the incident.

Ajit Pawar is among the 90 candidates in the fray for the 21-member board of directors of the sugar mill located in Baramati. Results will be declared on June 24.

The Nilkantheshwar panel headed by Ajit Pawar, who is contesting a cooperative sugar mill election after more than four decades, currently holds power in the mill.

Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) has also entered the fray through the Baliraja Sahakar Bachav panel, making the contest triangular.

The functioning of the Pune District Central Cooperative Bank, of whose Ajit Pawar is chairman, on Wednesday night led to a controversy, with supporters of the Sahakar Bachav and Baliraja panels alleging that a voter list was found inside the bank.

"Before we reached, Ajit Pawar's PA and others were inside. Our people saw them leaving in a car. Why was the bank open so late? Why was his PA there? We suspect voter lists were being manipulated and cash packets were being prepared to buy votes," alleged Tawre.

Police should register a First Information Report, he demanded.

Supriya Sule said, "If a bank remains open till late at night in a poll-bound area, it is a serious violation. CCTV footage must be examined, and an SIT should probe the matter." Reaction from the Ajit Pawar-led panel was not available immediately.

Election officer Yashwant Mane confirmed that his office has received an email complaint from Tawre's panel. "We have forwarded it to the assistant returning officer and police to check for any violations of the model code of conduct," he said.

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