In a dramatic turn of events for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, an independent candidate has leveled serious allegations of coercion and inducement against Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. The controversy centers on the Colaba assembly constituency's Ward No. 226, where the political battle has taken an ugly personal turn.
Allegations of Pressure and Crore-Rupee Offers
Tejal Pawar, the sole opponent to Narwekar's brother Makarand in Ward No. 226, held a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan on Wednesday. She was accompanied by her husband, Deepak Pawar, a zonal office-bearer of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant. Tejal Pawar presented a detailed account of alleged pressure tactics used to force her out of the electoral race.
She claimed that after filing her nomination on December 30 and getting it approved on December 31, workers associated with Speaker Rahul Narwekar approached her family. According to her testimony, her husband Deepak was taken to Narwekar's bungalow in a car. There, he was allegedly offered substantial financial incentives and civic contracts to persuade his wife to withdraw her candidature.
"They told me that I will be 'taken care of'. But I refused," Deepak Pawar stated to the media. "I told him it's a democracy and we want to fight the polls...We don't need money or contracts or anything else. The final offer went into crores and a flat."
A Detailed Account of the Alleged Incidents
Tejal Pawar provided a chronological narrative of the events. She alleged that on the evening of December 31, Narwekar's Personal Assistant visited her home. The PA reportedly tried to convince her to step back from the contest, mentioning how criminal cases had been registered against others in the past. An offer of Rs 10 lakh was allegedly made during this visit, which she refused.
Furthermore, Tejal claimed that Speaker Rahul Narwekar himself called her, asking for a meeting. She asserted that the Speaker's motive was clear: to ensure his brother Makarand gets elected unopposed. This, she suggested, was part of a larger plan for Narwekar to eventually claim the Mumbai Mayor's post for himself.
Adding to her grievances, Tejal Pawar alleged that neither the State Election Commission nor the local police were granting her the necessary permissions to campaign freely for the BMC polls, hinting at administrative obstruction.
Political Backing and Speaker's Vehement Denial
The controversy has drawn significant political attention. Key opposition parties, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Congress, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), have extended their support to Tejal Pawar. This collective backing amplifies the charges against the Speaker, who belongs to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rahul Narwekar issued a strong and categorical denial of all allegations. He dismissed the claims as a concoction of "dirty politics" by an opposition fearing certain defeat in the polls. "BJP's victory is certain in these 3 wards...so there is no question of asking anyone to withdraw or threaten them," Narwekar declared.
He also questioned the timing of the allegations, pointing out that the last date for withdrawal of nominations was January 2. "Why were they silent for five days?...Were they planning to defame me, scheming with rival parties? They are trying to set a fake narrative as they are seeing their defeat on the wall," he retorted.
The Speaker's family has a strong presence in the area's civic polls. Besides his brother Makarand in Ward 226 (Cuffe Parade), his cousin Dr. Gauravi Shivalkar is contesting from Ward No. 227 (Navy Nagar), and his sister-in-law Harshita Narvekar, a former corporator, is running from Ward No. 225 (Colaba).
Broader Implications and Model Code Concerns
This incident is not an isolated complaint against the Assembly Speaker. For the past week, several opposition parties have accused Rahul Narwekar of violating the Model Code of Conduct and interfering in the nomination process for the BMC elections. The latest allegations from Tejal and Deepak Pawar have added considerable fuel to this fire, raising serious questions about the fairness of the electoral process in these wards.
The State Election Commission now faces mounting pressure to investigate the serious claims of inducement and intimidation. As Mumbai prepares for its crucial civic polls, this controversy threatens to overshadow the campaign and put the conduct of a high constitutional authority under intense public scrutiny.
