In a new turn in Maharashtra’s political landscape, Chandivali MLA Dilip Lande faces allegations of breaching the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly offering juicer mixers to women in his constituency as a campaign tactic. This complaint, filed by Advocate Nikhil Kamble with the Election Commission of India (ECI), accuses Lande of attempting to lure voters in the Chandivali area with gifts ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Kamble has addressed the complaint to the ECI commissioner, the state election commissioner, the general observer, police observer, and the returning officer.
The controversy erupted after Lande, who has previously faced scrutiny over the alleged Rs 12.50 crore “Pressure Cooker Scam,” announced during a public gathering that he would facilitate the distribution of juicer mixers to women on the occasion of Bhaidooj. Kamble’s complaint states that Lande’s comments, made in a Facebook live video shared on his birthday, imply a direct attempt to influence the voting decisions of women by offering them household appliances as inducements.
“The promise of distributing juicer mixers to women is a clear violation of the model code of conduct, which strictly prohibits candidates from offering incentives to sway voter intentions,” Kamble stated, expressing concerns over the misuse of public funds. He further added, “This action stems from serious allegations of misappropriation of public funds intended for community welfare initiatives. While the Model Code of Conduct is intended to uphold fairness and transparency in elections, it has seemingly become a mockery for Mr. Lande, who repeatedly violates these principles. The Election Commission must demonstrate resolve by taking decisive legal action to ensure accountability and restore faith in the electoral process.”
The Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA) also raised the issue on social media, calling out what they perceive as a misuse of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) resources for electioneering purposes. Mandeep Singh Makkar, the founder of CCWA, highlighted that while such incentives are distributed, essential civic facilities, such as benches in the local Marathi school, remain neglected. “BMC funds have been misused in the past few months to fund our MLA’s election campaign. On the one hand, they are distributing freebies while the BMC’s Marathi School in Chandivali is in shambles without any proper benches for kids to even sit,” Makkar stated. “Public funds should be used judiciously. This is an attempt to kill democracy by bribing voters. We have tagged Election Commission to the post and expect the election commission should take the necessary action to stop this practice.”
This isn’t the first time Lande has found himself at the center of controversy. He was previously implicated in what has been termed the “Pressure Cooker Scam,” where it was alleged that BMC funds were used to procure 50,000 pressure cookers at a cost significantly higher than market rates. Following the acquisition, Lande reportedly distributed these cookers as part of his own campaign efforts, even etching his name on the items to claim credit.
As the ECI considers the complaint, the pressure mounts on Lande and the BMC to address these allegations of public fund misappropriation and MCC violations. Both Kamble and the CCWA urge swift and decisive action to curb these practices, reinforcing the importance of a fair and impartial electoral process in Maharashtra.