Buldhana, June 5: Maharashtra Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of undermining democratic values in its quest for power.
Sapkal alleged that the BJP is offering millions of rupees to opposition candidates in an attempt to ensure uncontested elections for the upcoming Legislative Council (MLC) polls, pressuring them to withdraw their nominations.
He stated that the BJP has disregarded all political ethics to achieve this goal. During a press conference in Buldhana, he remarked, “The BJP does not want democracy. They aim to replace the electoral process with a nomination system.”
Elaborating on the situation, Sapkal explained that in the ongoing MLC elections, the voters are elected representatives from local self-governing bodies, which significantly narrows the voter base. Despite this limited electorate, the ruling Mahayuti coalition is openly using money and power to influence the elections.
Sapkal claimed that the ruling coalition is misusing both state machinery and financial resources to coerce opposition candidates into withdrawing. He described this as a betrayal involving conspiracy and the large-scale distribution of money. He further warned that the aggressive and cunning manner in which the ruling coalition is preparing for these elections sets a dangerous precedent for democracy.
He emphasized, “Elections should be a celebration of democracy and must be conducted in a clean, fair, and healthy environment.” Sapkal criticized the BJP’s hunger for power, which he believes has fostered an arrogance clearly evident in these MLC elections.
According to him, the BJP has transformed these elections into a process of buying and selling legislators, indicating a dark period for democracy that will require significant effort to overcome.
Sapkal also accused the Election Commission of collusion with the BJP, claiming that there is a conspiracy between the two. He dismissed criticisms regarding the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) having fewer seats, arguing that the current number of members is irrelevant to the issue at hand.
He pointed out that in 1984, the BJP had only two MPs in the Lok Sabha, and no one questioned their existence based on their numbers at that time. He concluded that the BJP’s continuous focus on seat numbers reveals its intent to dismantle the democratic framework.
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