The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday won control of the Satara Zilla Parishad for the first time, but the election of the council’s president and vice president was overshadowed by violence and political clashes. The situation turned chaotic during the voting process as BJP workers clashed with members of the Shiv Sena (SS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The confrontation involved sloganeering and physical scuffles inside the premises. Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai, was injured in the scuffle. He sustained a wound to his left hand and alleged he was pushed during the commotion.
“In the crowd, I did not understand how I got pushed. When my hand started bleeding, I realized I was injured,” Desai told reporters.
The incident triggered sharp political reactions. Former state minister Makrand Patil accused the police of misusing force to pressure opposition members. “There is an attempt to intimidate opposition members through the misuse of police power. If no action is taken, it will be a serious threat to democracy,” he said.
MLA Shashikant Shinde alleged that opposition members were denied their voting rights. “Our members were forcibly removed from the hall despite having the right to vote. The administration misused its authority and pressured them,” he said, warning of protests. “We will not tolerate this injustice. We will take this fight to the streets.”
Tensions remain high in Satara following the incident, with heavy police deployment in place to maintain order.