Food row at Pune counting centre: MVA, Mahayuti workers clash during Council graduate, teacher polls count

Counting is under way for the Legislative Council graduates' and teachers' constituencies, following polling on Friday. Counting began at 8 am. The fate of 182 candidates, contesting three graduates' and two teachers' constituencies, was sealed in ballot boxes. The contests in Nagpur, Amravati, Pune and Aurangabad have put the prestige of both the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi at stake.

Meanwhile, the counting centre in Pune saw near-chaos over food being brought in. Workers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti clashed over the issue. Maha Vikas Aghadi workers questioned how food had been allowed inside the counting centre. As the food boxes were being brought in, workers of both sides exchanged heated words, and a sudden scramble broke out to get at the boxes.

Counting in Pune is being held at the Balewadi stadium complex. Since morning, police have been checking everyone before letting them in, and security is tight. Nothing was allowed inside. Even pens, diaries, car keys and watches were barred. A truck carrying packed food then reached the venue. Workers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the Mahayuti confronted each other over it and argued. Police reached the spot immediately, after which a large crowd gathered to collect the food. Police arrived and brought the situation under control.

Maha Vikas Aghadi workers alleged that they were not allowed to take in even a simple pen, paper or diary, so they asked how a truck of food had got inside. Besides the police ban on pens and paper, representatives of some candidates also argued with police over carrying watches and car keys. Many people expressed anger at the police policy.

A dispute also arose over the ballot boxes. Some representatives of Harshada Deshmukh Jadhav, the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate for the Pune graduates' seat, lodged an objection at the counting centre. They noticed that the seal wires on some ballot boxes were broken and that the boxes also lacked a wax seal. The Election Commission clarified that a video of this would be shown. On behalf of Deshmukh, a demand was made that the boxes with broken seals be set aside and the remaining boxes counted. It was alleged that many boxes were unsealed. Tension prevailed at the centre for some time over this. A demand has been made that sealed ballot boxes be counted first.

From the start of counting, several candidates and their representatives have lodged objections to the entire process. Jayant Dinkar Asgaonkar, the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate from the Pune teachers' constituency, also objected to the counting process, making allegations on several issues. Representatives of other candidates have also expressed displeasure with the process.