MARGAO
Rumdamol Housing Board area of Navelim assembly constituency was on the boil throughout polling on Monday, forcing the police to order a mild lathi charge in the morning with rival candidates making claims and counterclaims.
The area witnessed an uproar in the evening just before curtains could come down on polling after almost all the candidates, including Pratima Coutinho of the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress candidate Avertano Furtado, NCP nominee Rehan Mujawar, besides independent Digvijit Chavan levelled allegations that TMC candidate Valanka Alemao’s sisters were sitting outside a house of a resident, allegedly to woo the voters.
The house owners, however, rejected the claims made by Pratima and instead accused her and her supporters of trespassing in her house without the police in search of Valanka’s sisters.
In the morning, the police lathi-charged two groups, allegedly belonging to the TMC and NCP, as they had come face to face in the Housing board area. Maina Curtorim PI Mohan Gawde informed the police had to use force to disperse the groups to avert any law and order problem. In the melee, a policeman was believed to have fallen on the ground.
By evening, the AAP, Congress, NCP, besides Independent Digvijit Chavan were in one voice demanding action by the election authorities against what they called as the presence of Valanka’s sisters in the house.
An angry Pratima told the media that she saw Valanka’s sisters seated outside the house with bags, adding the duo rushed inside when she tried to challenge them.
She told the election authorities, including the flying squad, to raid the house, saying the two sisters were still holed up inside the bathroom.
Saying the election ought to be free and fair, Pratima, Avertano, Rehan and Digvijit Chavan demanded that the election authorities remain impartial and bring out the truth.
The lady house owner and other occupants demanded to know what right did Pratima had to trespass inside her house and bang the tables.
“If Pratima had any suspicion on anyone, she could have told the police. But, she barged inside my house and created a big scene. Valanka’s sisters have every right to come and sit at our home. Pratima and others have no right to dictate terms to me and my family”, the lady owner asserted.
