As Maharashtra gears up for the upcoming assembly elections in 2024, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has raised serious allegations against the BJP. According to an editorial in the ‘Saamana’, the mouthpiece of the Sena (UBT), there have been attempts to add bogus names to the voters’ lists in 150 assembly constituencies that the BJP is planning to contest. The editorial suggests that the BJP is resorting to such tactics out of fear of facing defeat in the state polls.
The editorial goes on to claim that the BJP has identified around 10,000 voter names for deletion and is replacing them with bogus names in an attempt to manipulate the electoral roll. In one instance, the administration thwarted an effort to insert 6,853 “bogus” names in the voters’ list in the Rajura assembly segment of Chandrapur district. The editorial also alleges that BJP workers are using Aadhaar card numbers of people residing in other states like Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh to include their names in Maharashtra’s voters’ list.
Moreover, the editorial accuses the BJP of employing several people to carry out this tampering of electoral rolls in specific assembly segments. It claims that a special training session was organized by the BJP for this purpose. The Shiv Sena (UBT) asserts that the BJP is not interested in a fair contest and is resorting to unethical means to secure victory in the elections.
The editorial also criticizes the Election Commission, accusing it of being biased towards the BJP. The Sena (UBT) alleges that the EC officials are following the orders of BJP leaders and have different rules for different states. The editorial highlights the demand made by MVA constituents, mainly the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), for the removal of Maharashtra Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla before the polls. The Congress has accused Shukla of illegal phone tapping and misleading authorities.
In a separate incident, the Election Commission directed the Jharkhand government to remove Acting Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta due to complaints against him in previous elections. This move raises questions about the EC’s actions in different states and whether there are different standards for Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
As the election date approaches, these allegations and controversies add a new dimension to the political landscape in Maharashtra. The accusations of electoral malpractice and interference raise concerns about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process. Voters will be closely watching how these allegations are addressed and whether corrective measures are taken to ensure a free and fair election in the state.
