They claimed that ECI was systematically rigging the electoral process to help BJP come to power in Maharashtra and other states. The joint protest saw the Thackeray cousins march alongside the senior leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from Metro Cinema to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters.
“Voters should be deciding who should be in government, not the Election Commission, which is why they (government) are doing as they want. It does not matter if people are angry. They can protest, shout…we (read government) will destroy the economy, we will surrender to America, we will increase the price of petrol, foodgrain. They are not bothered about the people’s reaction as they know that ECI will get them elected,” said Raj.
Raj claimed that after BJP’s disastrous performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, 40-60 lakh voters were added in Maharashtra’s electoral rolls and BJP won. He said that in the current SIR exercise, 2 crore voters were removed from the voters’ list in Maharashtra, adding that the SIR exercise should be scrapped in the state.
Uddhav likened the Opposition to CEC to a ‘freedom struggle’. “The government is using Gyanesh Kumar to remove voters from the list, claiming that they are Bangladeshis. We want to know how many of the 2 crore people removed from the Maharashtra voters’ list are Bangladeshis and how did they end up coming into the state. Today, we have taken a step forward, tomorrow the people could raise their hands.” he said.
The UBT president questioned why CEC was being protected and said that the people of the country “will soon decide his punishment”.
BJP leader Ashish Shelar countered by claiming that there were inconsistencies in the Opposition campaign. “Uddhav and Raj had a year back carried out a rally demanding the removal of duplicate names, as well as those who are dead from the voters’ list. Raj himself wanted the names to be struck off the list. So then, why are you now opposing the SIR exercise?”On reports that there were differences between CEC and the other two ECs, Shelar said, “In a democracy there are different views on issues, but then things are decided with unanimity.” He said the BJP government at the Centre didn’t bring EVMs.
“While Gyanesh Kumar is being blamed for the Opposition’s loss in Maharashtra, the truth is he was appointed after BJP came to power in the state. Out of six elections that have taken place in the country since he took over, three have been won by BJP and three by non-BJP governments,” said Shelar.
