Controversial Election Strategies: MLA Prakash Solanke's Viral Admission

NCP MLA Prakash Solanke has sparked a significant controversy following the release of a video in which he candidly spoke about the use of inducements, including liquor, meat, and cash, to win elections. The video, taken during a party workers' meeting ahead of local body elections in Maharashtra, has gone viral.

Solanke, addressing the audience, highlighted their expertise in understanding voter needs, noting that party workers know precisely what each voter might require to sway them—be it a bottle of liquor, a goat, and even cash, referred to as 'Laxmi Darshan'. This admission underscores the contentious role of money and gifts in local political campaigns.

This isn't Solanke's first brush with controversy regarding election spending. In March, he claimed to have spent an exorbitant amount of Rs 10-12 crore on his campaign, surpassing the Election Commission's limits, though he later retracted, terming it a slip of the tongue. Such statements have reignited debates over the financial practices in electoral politics.