Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, addressing party workers in Dahisar, urged his cadres to monitor voter lists at the grassroots level. He instructed them to go door-to-door, verify entries, and identify discrepancies such as duplicate names and bogus voters. Despite the ongoing festive season, he insisted that the task begin immediately, warning that “votes are being stolen.” Uddhav has also been personally visiting local branches, stressing the importance of vigilance at the booth level.
Raj Thackeray’s Long-Standing Allegations
Just a day earlier in Pune, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray reiterated his long-standing claim that voter list manipulation has been rampant since 2016–17. He alleged that votes cast for his party were not being reflected in results, and even suggested in the past that boycotting elections might draw international attention to what he described as a “crisis in democracy.”
Raj also pointed to the 2024 Assembly results, claiming the silence after BJP, Shinde’s Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP secured a majority was proof that “power has been built on stolen votes.” He urged MNS workers to focus systematically on voter list scrutiny to avoid further electoral defeats.
A Growing Political Theme
With both Thackeray brothers raising the same issue within 24 hours, speculation is mounting that voter list irregularities may become a dominant theme in the run-up to Maharashtra’s municipal elections. The Opposition has framed it as a matter that strikes at the credibility of democracy itself.
Fadnavis Dismisses Allegations
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, dismissed the allegations with sarcasm, quoting Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib: “Dil behlane ke liye khayal achha hai” (It is a nice thought to keep oneself entertained).
Fadnavis accused the Opposition of blaming external factors for its defeats instead of introspecting. “Until they accept reality and study why voters are turning away, they will continue to lose. Suggesting votes were stolen insults the people and won’t bring them back to power,” he said.
