BJP leader in Mumbai alleges attack on rally by Uddhav Sena candidate's 'goons'

BJP Mumbai North-East candidate Mihir Kotecha on Monday alleged that his election rally was attacked by 'goons' of Sena (UBT) nominee Sanjay Dina Patil in Mankhurd area, injuring a woman worker. Kotecha has also challenged Patil to attack him again as he plans another rally in the area on May 1, Maharashtra Day.

"During yesterday's campaign rally in Mankhurd, the goons of Sanjay Patil, wearing turbans, hurled stones at me. Unfortunately, it hit our sister Niharika Khondale and she got hurt. If this goonda raj continues, it will not be tolerated," Kotecha wrote in Marathi on X (formerly known as Twitter).

"I give an open challenge to Sanjay Patil's goons that I will once again openly come to Mankhurd tomorrow on May 1, which is Maharashtra Day. If you have guts, then let's have a face to face rather than backstabbing," he said.

The BJP has registered a case at Deonar police station in the matter. Kotecha claimed that Patil's goons resorted to such tactics because they were sure of facing a humiliating defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

An FIR has been registered under sections 336 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code against an unknown person.

"Kotecha's campaign rally reached in front of a public toilet near Gautam Budh Vihar, New Gautam Nagar in Govandi at around 8:10 pm. An unknown person intentionally threw a piece of brick towards the campaign chariot. It hit me on the neck below the right ear, and subsequently, the same piece of brick hit Mr. Kalappa Gunale on the right cheek. This was clearly done intentionally to threaten the lives of activists," Niharika Khondale stated in the complaint.

Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Patil, who filed his nomination on Tuesday, dismissed the allegations, suggesting that the attacks may have been planned by the BJP for publicity. He also urged the police to investigate the matter thoroughly to ascertain the truth.

"Our campaign is going well. Why will we do these things? The losing side is creating such issues for publicity. I urge the police to find out the truth. I suspect such attacks are orchestrated to create communal rift before elections," Patil added.

Elections to six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai will be held on May 20. The last day for filing nomination papers is May 3.