Pawar Backs Thackeray Brothers' Protest Against CEC
Sharad Pawar supports Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's protest against the CEC and SIR process, stating electoral concerns are widespread across Maharashtra.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has officially thrown his support behind the joint protest march led by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The protest, centered in Mumbai, targets Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Concerns Beyond Mumbai
Speaking at a press conference, Sharad Pawar emphasized that the grievances raised by the Thackeray brothers are not isolated to the state capital. He noted that similar concerns regarding electoral integrity are being voiced in major hubs like Pune and Nagpur, as well as various other regions across the state.
Pawar called for political unity to address these systemic issues. "The state government is going through the SIR process. When all concerned political parties come together to find a solution to this issue and take a decision regarding those who have committed irregularities, we will stand with them and extend our support," Pawar stated.
Demands for Cancellation of SIR
The protest march has been fueled by intense opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra. MNS chief Raj Thackeray has demanded the immediate cancellation of the entire SIR exercise, alleging that the process is being misused to manipulate voter demographics.
Addressing a massive gathering, Raj Thackeray raised alarming claims regarding the sudden shifts in voter numbers. He pointed out that while forty to sixty lakh voters were reportedly added during the Assembly elections, the current SIR process is being used to remove an estimated two crore people from the rolls. "Who are these two crore voters?" he questioned, urging all political parties to march to Delhi to demand a halt to the process.
Calls for Ballot Papers and Machine Ban
The MNS leader further escalated his demands, suggesting a fundamental shift in how Indian elections are conducted. He advocated for the discontinuation of voting machines in favor of traditional ballot papers to ensure transparency.
Raj Thackeray expressed deep skepticism regarding the recent electoral outcomes, questioning how the BJP, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar secured a majority in the Assembly elections despite a lack of visible enthusiasm among party workers. He highlighted a suspicious surge in voter numbers within the short six-month gap between the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections.
Criticism of the Ruling Establishment
While Raj Thackeray clarified that his objections are not directed at any specific individual, he leveled heavy criticism at the current way power is being exercised in both Maharashtra and at the Centre. He suggested that the ruling establishment appears indifferent to public protests and claimed that the judiciary is being brought under control.
“The people and voters should decide who will form the government and how the government will be run. The Election Commission should not decide this,” Thackeray remarked, reiterating his long-standing claims of "vote theft" that he has been raising since 2017-18.