Thane, September 28, 2026: The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies — Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party–Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) — mounted parallel, highly symbolic demonstrations in Thane on Monday, targeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged "vote theft" and voter roll manipulation.
The joint offensive follows investigative reports revealing that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded 14 written dissents against CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s unilateral decisions, including controversial changes to new voter registration forms (Form 6) under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
NCP-SP's Donkey-and-Horse Rally
Led by General Secretary Dr. Jitendra Awhad and District President Manoj Pradhan, NCP-SP staged a satirical march to the Thane Municipal Corporation headquarters.
Protesters paraded an individual depicting CEC Gyanesh Kumar seated backwards on a donkey, bearing placards criticising his leadership. In contrast, two demonstrators representing dissenting commissioners Sandhu and Joshi were seated on horses and felicitated with floral garlands.
"The Constitution mandates equal authority among all three Election Commissioners, requiring a 2:1 majority rule," stated Dr. Jitendra Awhad. "Unilateral changes to Form 6 bypass Parliament and undermine public trust. We will not allow anyone to trample upon constitutional safeguards."
Congress's Sit-Up Protest
Simultaneously, the Congress party converged outside the Thane District Collector's office, staging symbolic sit-ups (utha-basahi) in the CEC's name to protest the arbitrary deletion of eligible voters.
Guided by MPCC Vice President Rajesh Sharma, State General Secretary Srirang Barge, and former MP Kumar Ketkar, a party delegation submitted a formal petition to the District Collector, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's immediate dismissal and legal prosecution.
Also Watch:
"Arbitrary voter deletions directly target citizens' democratic rights," declared Congress leaders. "We demand full accountability, restoration of deleted voters, and immediate action against the poll chief."
Both parties warned that agitation against ECI operations will intensify across Maharashtra until full transparency is restored.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
