Congress candidate blames party leaders for defeat in by- elections

VASHI: Congress candidate in the Vashi by- election, Eknath Dukhande, has alleged that party leaders engineered his defeat by campaigning for Shiv Sena candidate Vithal More.

Dukhande also objected to the welcome accorded to More and other Shiv Sena leaders at Congress Bhavan following More’s victory. He has also written to state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre about the issue.

More, who secured 1,572 votes, defeated Thakur by a margin of 358 votes. Thakur got 1,214 votes while Eknath Dukhande of the Congress got just 109 votes. A total of 2,895 votes were cast in the election in ward no. 54 which has 6,725 voters.

Although there have been reports of an understanding between Congress and Shiv Sena for the by-election, both the parties denied it.

Following his victory, More and other Shiv Sena leaders including Navi Mumbai chief Vijay Chougule met local Congress leaders at Congress Bhavan in Vashi. More gave a speech and thanked the Congress leaders including city president Dashrath Bhagat, former deputy mayor Ramakant Mhatre and senior Nerul corporator Santosh Shetty.

“Shiv Sena leaders were accorded a grand and warm welcome by Congress leaders at Congress Bhavan during their victory rally,” said Dukhande. “The Shiv Sena workers also raised victory slogans inside Congress Bhavan.”

Congress leaders however dismissed Dukhande’s allegations. Bhagat said, “There is no question of us supporting the Shiv Sena candidate. This is a democracy and one has to accept defeat too.”