Election Controversy: Pathare Battles Name Doppelgänger in Vadgaon Sheri

Bapusaheb Pathare, NCP candidate from Vadgaon Sheri, filed a complaint against an independent namesake, alleging discrepancies in affidavit disclosures. Election officials dismissed the complaint, allowing the candidacy to proceed. Pathare's son suspects opposition strategy to confuse voters and plans an appeal to higher authorities.

Bapusaheb Tukaram Pathare, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)'s candidate from the Vadgaon Sheri Assembly constituency in Pune, recently lodged a formal complaint with local election authorities against an independent candidate bearing his exact name. Pathare alleged that this candidate's affidavits omitted crucial financial information, such as outstanding loans and bank details. Nevertheless, election officials swiftly dismissed the complaint, arguing that minor errors in affidavits are insufficient grounds for disqualification.

An official representative from the Vadgaon Sheri Assembly Constituency elaborated on the situation, noting that 24 candidates in total had submitted their nominations. Among them was a candidate named Bapu Baban Pathare, who stood accused of failing to disclose a loan in his affidavit. The candidate explained that he was actively paying EMIs, thus negating its status as an outstanding loan. Adhering to election guidelines which deem minor affidavit mistakes non-disqualifying, the officials allowed his candidacy to proceed. Surendra Pathare, Bapusaheb's son, announced their intention to appeal the decision with higher authorities.

Surendra Pathare expressed heightened suspicion about the timing of Bapu Baban Pathare's nomination, which came at the eleventh hour on the final day for submission. "Candidates are obliged to publicly display their affidavits, yet Bapu Baban Pathare's was conspicuously absent," he noted. Upon examination, they discovered undisclosed loans and bank account balances, contravening mandatory asset and liability disclosure rules—grounds, they argue, for rejection of the nomination. Surendra Pathare suspects this could be a tactical move by the opposition to deploy a 'dummy candidate,' potentially leading to voter confusion. The Pathare family intends to escalate the matter to higher election authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)