Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Saturday: Tensions flared outside the counting centre in Sillod assembly constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Saturday, as supporters of two rival Shiv Sena factions clashed. In response to the growing chaos, police had to use “mild” force to maintain order, an official stated.
The incident took place at approximately 5:45 PM when supporters of both the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) converged outside the counting centre, creating a scene of disorder. The police were quick to step in to diffuse the situation, preventing any potential escalation.
The official confirmed that to avoid any untoward incidents, the police used a “mild” lathi charge to disperse the rival groups. Thankfully, the situation was quickly brought under control, and no major incidents were reported. A senior official from the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police assured the public that the situation was peaceful and well-managed by the authorities.
In the ongoing vote count, the candidate from the Eknath Shinde faction, state minister Abdul Sattar, was leading by a margin of 2,420 votes after 29 rounds of counting. His rival, Suresh Bankar of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, trailed behind. This intense political competition led to a highly charged atmosphere outside the counting centre as supporters of both parties gathered in large numbers.
Amid these developments, the district authorities in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have decided to impose a ban on victory processions once the results of the state assembly elections are declared. In a meeting held on Friday, district collector Dilip Swami, along with top police officials, discussed measures to ensure that the post-election environment remains peaceful and orderly.
The authorities’ decision to prevent any public processions is aimed at maintaining public safety and preventing any potential confrontations between rival political factions. As the counting progresses and the results come in, the district administration is determined to ensure that the situation remains under control.
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