Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll: BJP 'bribing' voters, Shiv Sena writes to Election Commission

The Shiv Sena on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to “bribe” voters ahead of the May 28 bypoll for Palghar Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra. The Sena wrote to the Election Commission seeking action against the saffron party for using unfair means to win the election.

“Distribution of cash to the voters to bribe them to vote for BJP candidate was going on in Palghar ahead of the bypoll," Sena MLA Amit Ghoda alleged in the letter to the EC.

Ghoda said that Shiv Sena workers caught people distributing the cash and a flying squad of the Election Commission had conducted the spot inspection.

It was “gross violation of election code of conduct” and therefore the BJP candidate (Rajendra Gavit) should be disqualified, the letter stated.

Both the Shiv Sena and the BJP have run an acrimonious campaign for the by-poll, levelling accusations at each other.

Earlier, Shiv Sena boss Uddhav Thackeray had released a purported audio-clip in which Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was allegedly heard encouraging party workers to use “Saam, Daam, Dand and Bhed” to win Palghar by-election.