Disgruntled aspirants switch parties, file nominations for Kolhapur civic polls

Kolhapur: On the last day of filing nominations for the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation elections on Tuesday, disgruntled party workers who did not get tickets from their parties switched parties at the last moment and filed nominations to enter the fray for the civic body elections. Political parties has taken a stance to not disclose the candidate list until the last moment to avoid rebellion, but party workers had kept their plan B ready. Over 300 aspirants filed their nomination papers for 81 corporator posts in Kolhapur city. Those who aspired to be BJP candidates got their names in Congress list. Those who did not get nominations from BJP and Shiv Sena went to Jansurajya Shakti Party and NCP on Tuesday. Around 17 disgruntled Mahayuti workers joined Jansurajya Shakti Party on Tuesday. Addressing reporters on Tuesday, MLC Satej Patil said, "People are smart enough to understand that these politicians, who sit next to each other in Mumbai, are contesting elections separately in Kolhapur. How long will you fool people? There is no understanding among Mahayuti partners."For the elections for 81 corporator posts in 20 wards, in Mahayuti, BJP got 36 seats, Shiv Sena 30, and NCP 15 seats. In Maha Vikas Aghadi, Congress fielded 76 candidates, whereas Shiv Sena (UBT) will contest only six seats. NCP (SP) allied with AAP and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and will contest 81 seats.A KMC official said, "The actual number of forms filed by candidates will be clear late on Tuesday night. More than 300 candidates filed their nominations."Shiv Sena candidate Ruturaj Kshirsagar, the son of state planning commission head MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar, filed his nomination on Tuesday by taking out a procession. Guardian minister Prakash Abitkar and MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar were seen dancing along with their supporters.AAP city president Uttam Patil filed his nomination for Ward 3 by coming on a bicycle with banners displaying the message ‘Kolhapur Deserves Better'. On Tuesday, two transgender aspirants also filed their nominations. Shivani Gajbar will contest for Ward 20 for AAP as part of Rajarshi Shahu Aghadi, whereas Suhasini Devmane, filed her nomination as an independent candidate for Ward 17.Speaking after filing her nomination, Shivani Gajbar said, "We sought candidatures from Maha Vikas Aghadi as well Mahayuti. However, they did not give us tickets. Therefore, now we will enter the election fray and try to effectively resolve the issues of the ward. Progressive people of Kolhapur will elect a transgender candidate."Errors in voter listFormer state health minister, Digvijay Khanvilkar, who died 13 years ago, still had his name and photo in the voter list of Kolhapur Municipal Corporation, with his age increased to 89 years. Khanvilkar died at the age of 77. This mistake came to light on Tuesday. A KMC official, on the condition of anonymity, said, "Every ward has nearly 200 to 250 names of voters who are not alive anymore."