Maharashtra Zila Parishad poll ruckus: Council Deputy Chairperson directs state govt to suspend Satara SP

Mumbai: Maharashtra legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe on Monday directed the government to suspend Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi over the ruckus and manhandling during the Zilla Parishad president election last week.

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Shiv Sena minister Shamburaj Desai, NCP's Makarand Patil and other members of the two parties demanded the SP's suspension. Desai and Patil alleged that the local police manhandled them during the polls to elect the Zilla Parishad president on Friday.


BJP's Priya Shinde was elected the president of the local governing body, trumping the Shiv Sena-NCP combine's candidate despite the latter having the majority. The BJP narrowly surpassed the Sena-NCP alliance's tally to win the top post.

As the House convened on Monday for a special sitting to take up the pending business before the actual commencement of the proceedings, Shiv Sena member Hemant Patil raised the issue, saying that Desai, Makarand Patil and NCP MLC Shashikant Shinde were manhandled by the police.

Gorhe then said, "I am directing that government to suspend the Satara SP and others who manhandled (voters and ministers)."

She also said the government should have initiated a probe into the matter, but that has not happened due to some reasons.

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The issue also saw a heated exchange among the Shiv Sena, NCP and BJP members.

The BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP headed by Sunetra Pawar share power in Maharashtra as part of the Mahayuti government.