BJP-Shiv Sena (UBT) Clash in Nashik Over Alleged Vote-Buying; Police Intervene

Workers of the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday clashed in Nashik over allegations of distributing money during the campaign for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.

Both groups approached police, officials said.

The fracas started at 5pm at Hanuman Chowk when former BJP corporator Mukesh Shahane and his supporters apprehended some persons and accused them of distributing money while giving voter slips to people.

Commissioner Sandeep Karnik defuses situation

Shahane alleged the group attacked one of his friends with a sharp weapon and also brandished a gun.

Later, supporters of Sudhakar Badgujar, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Nashik West seat, arrived at the spot and clashed with BJP workers. The BJP candidate from the seat is sitting MLA Seema Hiray.

Officials said both groups reached Ambad police station and commissioner Sandeep Karnik too arrived there to defuse the situation.

Senior Maharashtra BJP leader and former state minister Pankaja Munde also reached the police station to interact with officials.

"Such an incident in Nashik, that too when a woman is contesting, is highly condemnable. I have asked police to register an attempt to murder case. It is wrong if people who have been externed are intervening. One of our workers was attacked," Munde said.

She refuted allegations that such incidents showed the failure of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government.

"The model code of conduct is in place for the assembly polls. Terming it the failure of the home minister is wrong," she asserted.

Badgujar too sought an inquiry into the clash.