Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray stated here on Thursday that he will launch a “surgical strike” against alleged electoral irregularities in Maharashtra.
Speaking at an event here on Thursday, Thackeray hinted at a disclosure targeting the Election Commission for alleged lapses during the 2024 Maharashtra state assembly elections.
When asked about when he would reveal the information, Aaditya said, “We can’t reveal the timings of the surgical strikes. We will hold a press conference with all the data we’re working on right now”.
Aaditya Thackeray stated that his party had already raised concerns with the Election Commission before the 2024 Maharashtra state assembly elections, particularly regarding a sudden spike in voter numbers, missing names from voter lists, and alleged mismanagement at polling booths.
“We had already written to the Election Commission before the Maharashtra assembly elections last year about the sudden spike in voters, missing voters, and how booths were mismanaged. Our party found many chinks in the armour and it will bring them out very soon. We will have a press conference with the data we are working on right now. We are putting it together,” Aaditya Thackeray said.
With the local civic bodies elections scheduled to be held in Maharashtra and Mumbai after Diwali, Aaditya Thackeray stated that his party will expose the Election Commission soon.
When asked if he will hold a press conference similar to the one held recently by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Aaditya Thackeray said, “Absolutely. We will be doing it. Let me not leak it. We cannot let out the timings of the surgical strike”.
Significantly, Aaditya Thackeray’s statement about election malpractices has come just a couple of days after NCP founder Sharad Pawar raised questions about the functioning of the Election Commission on Tuesday (September 23).
“Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been pointing out discrepancies in the electoral rolls by citing examples of constituencies. The Election Commission has to ensure that the public trusts the commission, but it has not taken that stand. If the Election Commission takes a stand which hampers public trust in the election process, then I do not know how many years the country will tolerate this,” Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday.