Pune: NCP (SP) Candidate Bapusaheb Pathare Alleges 'Dummy Candidate' Tactics Against Him In Wadgaon Sheri Assembly Constituency

Bapusaheb Tukaram Pathare, the NCP (SP) candidate from Wadgaon Sheri Assembly constituency in Pune, has filed a complaint with local election officials against an independent candidate with an identical name.

Pathare alleged that the independent candidate's affidavits did not contain information regarding outstanding loans and bank account details. However, the election officials dismissed Pathare's complaint, citing minor mistakes in affidavits shouldn't lead to disqualification.

An election official from the Wadgaon Sheri Assembly constituency said, "In the Wadgaon Sheri constituency, 24 candidates filed nominations. One candidate named Bapu Baban Pathare faced a complaint for not disclosing an outstanding loan in his affidavit. However, Pathare clarified that he's paying EMIs on the loan, so it's not considered a loan. Since election rules state that minor affidavit mistakes don't lead to disqualification, Pathare's candidacy was allowed to proceed." Surendra Pathare, Bapusaheb's son, said they will file an appeal to higher authorities against the decision.

"A man named Bapu Baban Pathare, who shares the identical name as my father's name Bapusaheb Pathare, the NCP (SP) candidate, filed his nomination at the very last minute on the last day of nomination filing. This raised suspicions as candidates are required to publicly display their affidavits, but Bapu Baban Pathare's was not available," Surendra Pathare said.

"Upon reviewing his affidavit, we discovered that Bapu Baban Pathare had not disclosed one of his loans or the amount in his bank accounts and according to the rule disclosing assets and liabilities is mandatory of any difference found in the election affidavit the nomination should have been rejected but it is not done in this case, therefore, we sense there could be an effort by the opposition to keep Bapu Baban Pathare as a 'dummy candidate' aiming to confuse voters during voting. We will be approaching the higher authority soon over this issue," he added.

In the Wadgaon Sheri constituency, Bapusaheb Pathare is up against Sunil Tingre, the candidate of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. A total of 24 candidates are contesting this constituency.