Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray arrived at the Shiv Sena Shivalay on Tuesday morning, joined by party MP Anil Desai. The high-level meeting at the party headquarters was followed by the arrival of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and MNS chief Raj Thackeray, signalling a rare show of unity among Maharashtra’s opposition leaders.
Later today, an all-party delegation—including Pawar, Thackeray, Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Varsha Gaikwad and others—is set to meet Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer, S. Chockalingam. The meeting is aimed at raising concerns over the ongoing electoral process and ensuring fairness in the upcoming local body polls.
Focus on Transparency in Local Body Polls
According to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, who announced the meeting over the weekend, the discussion with the Election Commission is intended to 'ensure transparency and trust' in the upcoming civic polls, particularly the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
Raut noted that maintaining public confidence in the electoral system was vital, saying the meeting was not just a political gesture but a 'collective effort to safeguard democracy.'
Letter to Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers
Raut also reached out to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, inviting them to join the all-party delegation. “Meeting the Election Commission has now become a formality, yet it remains necessary to maintain dialogue with this supreme institution in our democratic framework,” Raut wrote in his letter.
He stressed that the local body election dates, expected to be announced soon, should not invite any doubts about the credibility of the process.
Opposition Leaders Emphasise Unity
Raut confirmed that all parties had responded positively to the initiative. “There is no political motive behind this visit,” he said, adding that the intention was to strengthen democratic values and enhance trust in the electoral system.
Local body elections across Maharashtra, including the high-stakes BMC polls, are expected to be announced later this month.
