Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft” calling them “baseless and childish.” Speaking at a press conference in Jalna, Bawankule accused Gandhi of insulting Maharashtra’s voters with claims that the Election Commission is colluding with the BJP to suppress the voting rights of the poor. He questioned why Congress workers failed to challenge the voters’ list before past elections and urged them to act before the upcoming local bodies polls.

Bawankule mocked Gandhi’s selective outrage, noting that Congress celebrates Lok Sabha victories but cries foul over state assembly losses. “His allegations are an insult to Maharashtra’s voters,” he said, predicting a Congress wipeout in upcoming Bihar and Maharashtra elections.

Shifting focus, Bawankule addressed local issues, vowing strict action against revenue officials colluding with the sand mafia. He stressed coordinated efforts between police and revenue departments to curb illegal sand mining, citing a nexus between officials and mafias. He also announced a new sand conservation policy promoting manufactured stone sand for government projects to protect river ecosystems.

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On the Rs 34.97 crore disaster compensation scam in Jalna’s Ambad and Ghansawangi tehsils, involving 74 officials between 2022 and 2024, Bawankule promised a thorough investigation. The scam misappropriated funds meant for farmers hit by natural calamities, alongside a separate land scam in the region.

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