Sena MLA accused of sending 'dummy' to meet farmers

A Marathi news channel today claimed that a Shiv Sena MLA sent another person as his substitute to take part in the party's farmer outreach program in Marathwada region.
Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had asked party legislators to tour Marathwada region on May 6 and 8 and meet the distressed farmers as a part of 'Shiv Sampark Abhiyan. Farmers are facing a crisis because of bumper crop of tur dal and the resultant crashing prices.
A news channel claimed that Gautam Chabukswar, Sena MLA from Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune, skipped the tour as he was travelling in north India.
However, he sent Yashodhar Phanase, a former corporator, to Osmanabad district (assigned to him by the party for the campaign) as his substitute. Phanase was introduced as the MLA during the tour, the report claimed.

Both Chabukswar and Phanase denied the allegations.
"For the last 15 days I was in Himachal Pradesh and I am now reaching Pune after completing my meditation course. I don't have any idea who went impersonating me," Chabukswar said. "I do not even know this person," he added.

Phanase said he was not introduced as a legislator during the tour. "Chabukswar was not with us, but former legislator Omraje Nimbalkar joined us. There was no question of introducing me as a legislator. These allegations are false," he said.
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said the opposition leaders would soon meet and decide what action should be proposed against the MLA.

"A committee of the state legislature should hear Chabukswar, but I will recommend highest possible punishment for him," Chavan said.
Meanwhile, a Sena source said that Thackeray pulled up 27 party legislators who skipped the farmer outreach program.
Sena chief will hold a meeting of party legislators on May 19 at Nashik where he is expected to announce 'Sampurn Karz Mukti' (complete debt waiver) campaign, the source said.