The political atmosphere in Maharashtra has grown increasingly charged as serious allegations of attempted MLA-buying have surfaced just weeks before the crucial November 20 state elections. In a dramatic press conference on Saturday, Congress state leader Ramesh Chennithala dropped a political bombshell, claiming that two of their legislators had been offered “crores of rupees” to switch allegiance to Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP.
“This isn’t just about party politics anymore,” Chennithala declared, his voice carrying clear notes of indignation. “When MLAs are being offered massive sums to switch sides, it becomes a criminal matter under the anti-defection law. Why is the Chief Minister, who heads the home department, maintaining silence on such a serious issue?”
The allegations have emerged at a critical juncture as political parties finalize their electoral strategies. The Congress, moving forward with its campaign preparations, has just released its second list of 23 candidates. Notable among these are Vasant Purke, who’s getting another shot at the Ralegaon seat despite his 2019 defeat, and Jitendra Moghe, who’s stepping into the political arena in Arni, taking over from his father Shivajirao.
This follows their earlier announcement of 48 candidates, including heavyweight leaders like state Congress chief Nana Patole contesting from Sakoli, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan from Karad South, and Opposition Leader Vijay Wadettiwar from Brahmapuri.
The electoral landscape has grown more complex with the clear division of power blocks. The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance has settled on an equal distribution of seats, with Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Shiv Sena (UBT) each contesting 85 seats. On the other side, the ruling Mahayuti alliance brings together the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and Ajit Pawar’s NCP.
As Maharashtra prepares to elect its new 288-member assembly, these allegations have added another layer of intrigue to an already contentious electoral battle. The stakes are particularly high given the state’s recent political history – in 2019, the BJP secured 105 seats, followed by Shiv Sena with 56, and Congress with 44, marking a slight shift from the 2014 results where the BJP had won 122 seats.
With counting scheduled for November 23, all eyes are now on how these serious allegations will impact the electoral process and whether they will lead to any formal investigation. Meanwhile, the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP has maintained silence on these allegations, adding to the political suspense in India’s financial powerhouse state.
