Laxman Jagtap was seen in a wheelchair surrounded by supporters.
BJP MLA in Maharashtra Laxman Jagtap, who is suffering from a life-threatening ailment, today turned up to vote in the state legislative council elections. Dressed in a PPE kit, mask, and gloves, Mr Jagtap was seen in a wheelchair surrounded by supporters who were raising slogans.
The Congress has raised an objection to two wheelchair bound voters using a third person to vote.
The grand old party has written to the Returning Office saying two BJP MLAs, including Mr Jagtap, have violated voting rules by taking help of a third person to cast the vote. "According rule 40A conduct of election rules only visually impaired or illiterate can take help of third person while casting his her vote," it said.
The Congress has raised objection against Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagatap as they traveled to the voting booth and then even signed on the ballot paper.
The BJP said the party had sought permission to assist the members who were ailing to cast their vote. Laxman Jagtap travelled from Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune -- a three-hour drive -- to cast his vote in these MLC elections.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis tweeted, "This morning, I called our MLA @iLaxmanJagtap and repeatedly requested him to not come for voting because of his health issues, but look at his commitment towards @BJP4India!
Despite agreeing to take rest after my call, he reached Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai for voting! #VidhanParishad."
Voting for elections to 10 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council began in the state Legislature complex on Monday morning.
The polling process, which commenced at 9 am, will end at 4 pm and the results will be declared in the evening.
A total of 11 candidates are in the fray for the 10 seats, with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies - Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress - fielding two candidates each.
The opposition BJP in the state has nominated five candidates.
Jailed NCP MLAs Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh will not be allowed to vote in the polls. Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said it was like "trampling" on the rights of the two elected representatives. It also slammed the BJP over its "politics of discrimination" pointing out that two BJP MLAs, battling serious illnesses, were brought in ambulances to vote during the Rajya Sabha polls from Maharashtra held earlier this month.
"But Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap (both from the BJP) are brought for voting (in the Rajya Sabha polls) when they are in a critical state...when it comes to political selfishness, humanity is trampled upon and they (Tilak and Japtap) are wheeled-in on a stretcher for voting. The BJP can stoop to any level for achieving its political goal," the editorial said.