Legislator Santosh Bangar, centre, was accused by BJP MLA Tanaji Mutkule (not in picture). File.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
A Maharashtra BJP MLA has accused a legislator of ally Shiv Sena of trying to influence voters with money power and other inducements ahead of the December 2 elections to the Hingoli Municipal Council.
Tanaji Mutkule, the BJP MLA from the Hingoli Assembly seat in central Maharashtra, made the accusation against Shiv Sena legislator Santosh Bangar on Thursday (November 27, 2025), hours after alleging that the latter accepted money to shift allegiance from the Uddhav Thackeray camp to the Eknath Shinde-led faction when the regional party split in 2022.
Legislator Santosh Bangar is the Sena MLA from Kalamnuri in Hingoli district.
The BJP and Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, both allies in the ruling Mahayuti coalition, have locked horns in the Hingoli Municipal Council elections.
Speaking at a poll rally in Hingoli in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (November 27), MLA Tanaji Mutkule fired a fresh salvo at Legislator Santosh Bangar, alleging the latter was trying to influence voters with money power.
“Here Shinde Sena’s MLA (Bangar), has given candidature (for the post of Municipal Council head) to his brother. He is trying to entice people with the help of money power. He is now counting ₹5,000 (per vote). He has also promised to distribute mutton and chicken in certain areas,” BJP MLA Tanaji Mutkule alleged.
Hingoli enjoys the Chief Minister’s blessings and has seen development over the years, said MLA Mutkule.
“Soon I became an MLA in 2014, he (CM Fadnavis) gave funds for roads, drainage, beautification of a lake. Roads constructed since 2014 are in good condition even today,” he maintained.
Earlier on Thursday (November 27), Mutkule alleged that Legislator Bangar accepted ₹50 crore to switch loyalty from the Thackeray camp to the Shinde faction in 2022 when the Shiv Sena suffered a split.
Legislator Santosh Bangar immediately hit back at BJP MLA Tanaji Mutkule, accusing him of indulging in “misdeeds”.
Elections to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats are scheduled to be held on December 2, and the votes will be counted on December 3.
Published – November 28, 2025 04:01 pm IST