Retired police officer Riyazuddin Deshmukh, who contested Lok Sabha election from Bhopal against BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, could get only 1251 votes and also lost his deposit.
Deshmukh was not alone to have lost his deposits, as remaining 27 candidates too lost their deposits as nobody could secure 1 per cent votes in the heavy polling in the constituency.
Deshmukh, who earlier served as subordinate to Maharashtra ATS chief late Hemant Karkare, had landed in Bhopal to file nomination papers in April last week after being ‘deeply hurt’ by Thakur’s remarks against Karkare and thus decided to take a political plunge against Thakur.
Thakur not only demolished Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in the process defeating him by 3,64,822 votes but also made other 28 candidates lose their deposits.
A candidate in Lok Sabha elections is required to deposit Rs 25,000 as security deposit while filing nomination and stands to lose it if one fails secure at least one sixth (16.66%) of the total valid votes polled in the any particular election.
Deshmukh’s decision to contest poll in Bhopal was more of an emotional outburst as after filing nomination in the city, he never campaigned for himself. To add, Thakur soon after being nominated from Bhopal had used some harsh words for Karkare saying he meted out worst-possible torture on her in custody in connection with Malegaon blast to frame her in the case claiming it was her curse that led to Karkare’s death in Mumbai attack.
Deshmukh had retired as Assistant Commissioner of Police in Amravati in Maharashtra in year 2016 and had claimed he idolised Karkare. He had garnered only 1251 votes in the polls on May 12.
Besides, Veena Ghanekar, the retired IAS officer who was fielded by Samanya Alpsankhyak Pichhra Kalyan Samaj (SAPAKS) too could not save the grace and exhausted at only 3264 votes.
Ghanekar had pinned hopes on government employees’ support and raked up issue of reservation in promotion to arouse sentiments of general category employees. To add, the MP government under Shivraj had offered reservation in promotion of government staff, which was challenged in the court by SAPAKS, representing unreserved categories.
