‘MLC poll politics will even shame prostitutes’

Nagpur: Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday alleged that MLC poll politics in Maharashtra had stooped to a level that would even "shame prostitutes", claiming majority councillors had sold their votes for up to 15 lakh each. Taking on his party colleagues, without naming anybody, Wadettiwar said the polls scheduled for June 18 are getting mired in allegations on horse-trading.MLC polls have become a talking point after three Mahayuti candidates were elected unopposed after other contestants withdrew. In Vidarbha, two Mahayuti candidates, Arun Lakhani and Dushyant Chaturvedi, won without a contest.Wadettiwar alleged a Congressman in Chandrapur district distributed 5 lakh each to around 40 to 45 councillors, directing them to vote as instructed. "My own councillor came and told me that he was being offered money with a diktat to vote for whoever they say. But he didn't identify the bribe giver," Wadettiwar said.He demanded action against the saboteurs along with expelled Congress candidate Shailesh Agrawal, who withdrew his nomination for the Wardha-Gadchiroli-Chandrapur seat. "While action was taken against Agrawal, person who distributed money should also face party action," said Wadettiwar.He said councillors, who are voters in these polls, owed no loyalty to any party. "They are only waiting to see who will pay more in the MLC election. Maybe 25% to 30% are honest, but 70% are sold out for 5 lakh, 10 lakh, 15 lakh. They have turned politics into a business," Wadettiwar said, adding that both buyers and sellers of votes should be investigated.