On the eve of vote-counting day, Uddhav Thackeray received a jolt from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The poll body directed its state counterpart to take appropriate action against Shiv Sena (UBT) chief for conducting press conferences on the day of voting in Mumbai.
On May 20, Uddhav had called a presser, alleging that the voting process was being deliberately delayed at the polling booths where the Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates had chances to get more votes. Lashing at the ECI, he had remarked that the poll body was working like a “BJP's servant” as it kept people waiting for long outside the polling booth.
BJP MLA and city party president Ashish Shelar had registered a complaint against Uddhav for violating the model code of conduct. The ECI took cognisance of his grievance and sought all the information related to the press conference. Accordingly, the state poll body translated the press meet in English and sent the same to the ECI, which has now ordered an action.
Slamming the move, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “Amit Shah had appealed to the people of Madhya Pradesh to vote for the BJP for a free tour of Ram Temple. We had 17 letters to the ECI, highlighting how the government machinery was illegally used, but it didn't even bother to reply. We welcome the ECI's current order.”
He asked that the media broadcast Prime Minister Narendra Modi's muted pressers, where was the ECI then. The poll body is an extended branch of the BJP and it will have to answer on Tuesday evening after vote-counting, reiterated the MP.
