CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Sachin Chavan, a VBA-sponsored candidate from the Kaij assembly constituency of Marathwada's Beed district, faced the ire of party the Prakash Ambedkar-led party's workers on Saturday afternoon for allegedly taking money from BJP. The angry BJP workers blacked Chavan's face and also beat him up.
Chavan had initially filed his nomination as an independent, but later was declared the VBA-sponsored candidate from Kaij. While the local VBA functionaries accused him of accepting Rs 5 lakh from BJP, Chavan confessed he took Rs 2 lakh while he was an independent candidate and another Rs 1 lakh, when VBA had sponsored him.
A group of VBA workers poured a can of black liquid on Chavan's head and smeared the liquid on his face. Later, he was whipped multiple times and asked to leave.
VBA district president Shailesh Kamble said he and the local party workers have no regrets over being violent with Chavan. "Our party is led by the respected Balasaheb (Prakash) Ambedkar, and it is unacceptable to earn money during elections using the name of his party. We would have raised money through crowdfunding if Chavan sought money from us," he said.
Kamble said Ambedkar was in the ICU on the eve of the election, and it is outrageous that people like Chavan are trying to mint money instead of showing any commitment towards the ideology of Dr BR Ambedkar's grandson. "Chavan confessed to accepting money from BJP office-bearers, but did not reveal names," Kamble said.
Reserved for the SC category, the Kaij assembly constituency is witnessing a fight between BJP's sitting MLA Namita Mundada and Prithviraj Sathe of NCP (SCP).
Chavan said he admitted his mistake. "I received Rs 2 lakh from my friends in BJP when I filed my nomination as an independent, and later Rs 1 lakh when VBA sponsored me. I, however, realise that I made a mistake and am ready to face any action," he said.
Chavan, who was among five independent candidates VBA had shortlisted to extend support, did not lodge any police complaint till Saturday evening. When contacted, BJP's newly appointed Beed district president Shankar Deshmukh said no financial or any other support has been given to the VBA-sponsored candidate. "The incident of blackening the face and whipping the candidate might have occurred due to personal disputes or internal party matters. We have nothing to do with it," he said.