EVM Row: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray has said that the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has won the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, and the party will go to court claiming the same. Shinde Sena leader and Maharashtra education minister Deepak Kesarkar hit back at the MLA from Worli, Mumbai, and alleged that the latter ‘always tries to create confusion’.
In the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, a tight contest unfolded between both Shiv Sena factions. Ravindra Waikar of Eknath Sinde’s Shiv Sena narrowly defeated Amol Kirtikar of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) by a margin of only 48 votes.
Aaditya Thackeray weighed in on the ongoing row over Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) tampering after the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 results were declared.
Later, Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar accused Thackeray of creating confusion and claimed that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is not in a condition to ‘face the public’ in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, likely to be held later this year.
“Aaditya Thackeray is still very young. He always tries to create confusion…” the Shinde Sena MLA said.
A political controversy erupted on Sunday over allegations of EVM tampering, as Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Aaditya Thackeray, Akhilesh Yadav, and other opposition leaders cited a media report. The report claimed that a relative of Shiv Sena’s Mumbai North West Lok Sabha candidate, Ravindra Waikar, was observed using a mobile phone connected to an EVM during the vote counting on June 4.
The media report said a relative of Waikar, who won the seat by just 48 votes, had used a mobile phone to “unlock” an electronic voting machine (EVM) when the votes were being counted.
“Whenever EVMs arrive at the counting booth, signatures are taken by all counting agents after ensuring that the seal is perfect. After votes are counted, signatures are retaken. It is a very transparent process”, Deepak Kesarkar added.
On Monday, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar claimed that at least 18-19 leaders who had walked out with Ajit Pawar to create a divided NCP were to return to the Sharad Pawar faction after the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Shinde Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar refuted the claim and said, “All members of NCP have given wholehearted support to Ajit Pawar.”
Rohit Pawar, on Monday, claimed several NCP MLAs have never spoken ill against party founder Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders after the July 2023 split in the outfit.
“But they must attend the legislature session and get development funds for their constituencies. So they will wait till the session ends (before making the switch over),” said the grandnephew of NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar.
“There are 18 to 19 (NCP) MLAs who are in touch with us and Pawar Saheb.” They will switch to their side after the monsoon session.
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Published: 17 Jun 2024, 09:59 PM IST
