Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday demanded that BJP MLA Rahul Narwekar be suspended as assembly Speaker and a case be lodged against him for violating election norms and bullying opposition candidates and officials.The demand came days after a video, which went viral, showed Narwekar invoking his powers as the Speaker, summoning a senior police officer and directing him to immediately withdraw former MP Haribhau Rathod’s security after an argument while BJP candidate and Narwekar’s cousin Gauravi Shivalkar was filing her nomination in Colaba on Dec 30. “[Narwekar’s] authority is in the assembly; he is an MLA outside. He bullies opposition parties’ candidates and orders removal of security… State election commission must take this seriously,” said Uddhav. While launching the Sena (UBT)-MNS-NCP (SP) manifesto, titled ‘Thackerays’ word’, for the BMC polls along with MNS chief Raj Thackeray at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar, Uddhav also sought that elections in wards where candidates won unopposed—almost all of whom are from governing parties—be cancelled and held again. He alleged that mob rule had replaced democracy. “When we caught it (BJP) stealing votes, it started running away with our candidates. Getting an unopposed candidate elected is an insult to democracy.” He said having candidates chosen unopposed is like denying voters the chance to exercise their franchise. Pointing out BJP had gone to court against unopposed wins in West Bengal, Raj said no one remains in power eternally and the party shouldn’t complain when there is a change of regime. He said BJP was bringing lawlessness into cultured Maharashtra.
