Tension gripped parts of Maharashtra's Wardha district on Thursday after a group of masked men allegedly attempted to abduct Congress corporators from Chandrapur while they were travelling by bus to Nagpur. Police said they have booked six people and arrested one of them, after the swift intervention of party supporters and police prevented the situation from spiralling out of control. The incident took place when newly elected corporators of the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation were heading to Nagpur to complete their faction's official registration at the Divisional Commissioner’s office. According to party sources, around 17 to 18 corporators loyal to Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar were onboard the bus.
Around 5.45 pm, as the bus approached the Yelakeli toll plaza, about twenty unidentified men with covered faces intercepted the vehicle in four to six cars. Police said the assailants allegedly tried to forcibly pull Congress corporators out of the bus, as mentioned in a complaint filed by corporator Rajesh Adoor.
Supporters rush in, scuffle breaks out
Congress supporters quickly reached the spot, leading to a scuffle between the two groups. A team from Sawangi police station soon arrived and brought the situation under control. One of the attackers, identified as Kanain Siddiqui from Nagpur, was caught by party workers and later arrested by police. He and five others have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Several unidentified individuals have also been named in the case.
Political power struggle intensifies ahead of Mayor election
The incident comes at a time when the Congress is battling internal strife over the Chandrapur mayor's post after the January 15 civic polls. Factions led by Wadettiwar and Congress MP Pratibha Dhanorkar are clashing over who will control the top position. Elections for the mayor and deputy mayor are scheduled for February 10. In the 66-member House, the Congress holds 27 seats, short of the majority mark of 34. The BJP follows closely with 23 seats, while Shiv Sena (UBT) has six.
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