Serious accusations of large-scale electoral manipulation have rocked the municipal politics of Wanadongri in Nagpur district. Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has publicly alleged a systematic fraud, claiming that at least 118 individuals from Dhamna village were illegally enrolled and cast votes in Ward 12 of the Wanadongri Municipal Council.
Allegations of Systematic Voter List Manipulation
Addressing a press conference alongside former minister Ramesh Bang and other party officials, Deshmukh stated that the bogus voting was not an isolated incident. He framed it as part of a deliberate and organized attempt to tamper with the electoral roll. The former minister expressed frustration, noting that despite nationwide demands for cleaner voter lists, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has shown a lack of urgency in addressing such critical issues.
Deshmukh detailed that local activists first alerted him to groups of people, predominantly women, being transported from Dhamna village to vote in Wanadongri. After he informed Bang and deployed supporters to monitor the situation, they reportedly intercepted a batch of women in Ward 12. These women allegedly confessed to being brought by BJP workers and instructed to press the button next to the lotus symbol without being told the candidate's name.
How the Fraud Was Allegedly Executed
An investigation initiated by Deshmukh revealed a disturbing method behind the enrollments. The names of the purported voters were allegedly added to the Wanadongri list using documents originally submitted for construction worker registrations. Among those illegally registered, Deshmukh claimed, were a BJP gram panchayat member and several of his relatives.
He further accused BJP office bearers of supervising the mass entry of bogus names exclusively in Ward 12. Deshmukh also alleged that each bogus voter was paid ₹2,000, and the list included names of his own wife, relatives, and other villagers, with a large number of women involved.
Statistical Anomaly Points to Concentrated Fraud
Deshmukh provided compelling data to support his claims. Wanadongri comprises 12 wards. While Wards 1 through 11 each have a voter count ranging between 3,500 and 4,000, Ward No. 12 stands out starkly with 7,613 registered voters—nearly double the average of other wards.
This abnormal spike prompted a detailed scrutiny, which, according to Deshmukh, exposed widespread bogus registrations concentrated solely in this particular ward. He has urgently appealed to the Election Commission to take cognizance, conduct a thorough probe, and hold the perpetrators accountable. A key demand is the immediate removal of these fraudulent entries before the next election cycle to prevent further misuse.
BJP Leader's Rebuttal
Responding to the allegations, Hingna MLA Sameer Meghe dismissed the charges as politically motivated. "Let's take a simple example," Meghe said. "Former minister Anil Deshmukh lives in Nagpur's Civil Lines but goes to Katol to vote and even contests elections from there. Does that make him a bogus voter? The same logic applies here."
He asserted that all due electoral procedures were followed and attributed the allegations to the opposition's discontent with the election results. "We have worked for people's development for the last 11 years and received consistent public support," Meghe stated, urging the focus to shift to development and public welfare instead of what he called false allegations meant to create confusion.
The controversy has cast a shadow over the electoral process in the region, raising significant questions about the integrity of the voter list and the efficacy of oversight mechanisms. All eyes are now on the Election Commission's response to these serious charges.
