Lemons and Incense Sticks Found Outside Counting Center; Superstition Comes to Light in Marathi Film Corporation Election

Voting for the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal (All India Marathi Film Corporation) election took place on Sunday, and the counting of votes began today (Monday). However, just before the counting started, a sensation was triggered when lemons, sacred ash (angara), and incense sticks were discovered on a chair outside the center.

This instance of superstition came to light at the counting center in Kolhapur. The items were found placed neatly on a chair at the venue. This election for the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal is being held after a gap of nearly a decade and has already been mired in heavy controversy. Amidst the disputes, a large section of actors, directors, and producers chose to distance themselves from the polls, resulting in a low voter turnout of just 49.90%. The superstitious display was discovered just moments before the counting of votes officially commenced on Monday morning.

The election is being contested for 17 seats within the Film Corporation. Out of these, three candidates have already been elected unopposed, leaving 44 candidates locked in a fierce battle for the remaining 14 seats. The main contenders in the fray are the ‘Samarth Panel’ led by outgoing president Meghraj Rajebhosale, the ‘Chitrakarmi Panel’ led by Satish Randive, and 16 independent candidates. Voting was conducted on Sunday across Mumbai, Pune, and Kolhapur. In Kolhapur, 517 out of 746 eligible voters cast their ballots, making it the highest turnout percentage in the state. In Pune, 460 out of 724 voters exercised their franchise.

This particular election for the Film Corporation gained significant attention due to intense internal politics. On one hand, veteran actor Vijay Patkar alleged that certain individuals used political influence to prevent him from filing his nomination form. On the other hand, questions were raised over the candidacy of Neelam Shirke. Eventually, Neelam Shirke—an actress and the wife of State Industries Minister Uday Samant—issued a statement withdrawing her nomination, stating she was stepping down because Varsha Usgaonkar had entered the race.

Vijay Patkar had fiercely raised the issue of political interference in the election. Expressing his anger, Patkar asked, “An Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to a minister has been stationed in Kolhapur for the last four days, pressuring people and dictating who should or shouldn’t contest. I don’t understand if this minister and his OSD have finished all their work in the Vidhan Bhavan that they have camped out here at the Film Corporation.