The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) criticized the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra for leading the state into a moral and democratic decline. They condemned the municipal elections, labeling them as a sham marked by the manipulation of democratic processes through money and intimidation tactics. The Shiv Sena highlighted the election of approximately 70 uncontested corporators as a sign of the BJP and Shinde-led faction’s fierce competition for power, illustrating a distortion of democracy.
The party’s editorial in ‘Saamana’ expressed concerns over the authoritarianism and institutional arrogance prevailing in Maharashtra’s political landscape. The Shiv Sena called for the dissolution of the Election Commission if the ruling coalition continues to secure victories through pre-election manipulations. Allegations emerged of opposition candidates being coerced to withdraw from the race after being offered substantial bribes ranging from lakhs to crores of rupees, according to the Thackeray camp.
Accusations of hypocrisy were directed at the BJP, with the Shiv Sena likening their actions to a “two-faced earthworm.” The editorial highlighted the BJP’s shift in stance, from condemning unopposed victories in West Bengal to allegedly employing similar tactics in Maharashtra. Legal and political experts argued against unopposed wins, citing the right of voters to reject all candidates through the NOTA option on EVMs. The Shiv Sena criticized the ongoing municipal elections as the most corrupt and compromised in Maharashtra’s history, warning of the erosion of the state’s integrity.
The Thackeray camp denounced the ruling alliance’s claims of transforming Mumbai, labeling them as architects of electoral corruption. They emphasized the need to uphold the sanctity of elections and questioned the very existence of the Election Commission if victories are secured before a single vote is cast.
