Mumbai: BJP candidate says rival threw stones at him

Kalappa Gunale, the BJP worker injured in the stone throwing

The North East Lok Sabha BJP candidate Mihir Kotecha alleged on Tuesday that his campaign chariot was pelted with stones for the third time in less than a month, claiming that a Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate was attempting to harm him. Following the stone pelting incident, the BJP has lodged an FIR against an unknown person for threatening lives. Kotecha alleged that his political opponent, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Patil, was involved in pelting stones at his campaign chariot to cause harm to him.

Kotecha stated that the Opposition was resorting to such tactics because they were facing the prospect of a humiliating defeat in the election. The FIR has been registered under sections 336 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code. As per the FIR filed by Deonar police station, Niharika Khondale, BJP in-charge for the Mumbai North East Lok Sabha constituency, lodged a complaint against an unidentified person.

Sanjay Dina Patil files his nomination

"Kotecha's campaign rally reached in front of a public toilet, near Gautam Budh Vihar, New Gautam Nagar in Govandi at around 8.10 pm. An unknown person intentionally threw a piece of brick towards the campaign chariot. It hit me on the neck below the right ear, and subsequently, the same piece of brick hit my colleague Kalappa Gunale on the right cheek. This was done intentionally to threaten," Khondale stated in the complaint.

Kotecha stated that this is the third such attack on his campaign in the area, and it indicates that the opponents are losing the election, leading them to resort to such tactics. "We have lodged a complaint with the police. We openly challenge Patil. I will campaign on May 1 (Maharashtra Day) in Mankhurd and dare them to attack me on Wednesday during campaigning in Mankhurd. I issue an open challenge," Kotecha said.

Mihir Kotecha

When Sanjay Patil was asked about the stone pelting, he refuted the allegations. "My opponents have now realised that they are standing on a shaky ground and will be facing defeat and hence were playing gimmicks and tricks. The government in power belongs to them and they should go campaigning with good security," he said.

Patil files his candidature

Sanjay Dina Patil, the candidate of North East Mumbai Maha Vikas Aghadi, (MVA) on Tuesday filed his candidature in the presence of thousands of workers at the election office in Vikhroli. Yuva Sena chief and MLA Aaditya Thackeray, prominent MVA leaders, officials and thousands of workers accompanied him. While speaking to the journalists, Thackeray said that democracy was under threat in the country. "The chances of MVA are good in the state and we are sure that MVA will get the maximum number of seats," he said.

Tuesday
Day Kotecha's campaign chariot was attacked