The SEC did not even bother to give any clarification on the use of PADU and extended the canvassing time to allow distribution of money (by ruling parties), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief alleged
Pic/Ashish Raje
MNS president Raj Thackeray on Thursday cast his vote in the BMC elections 2026 and accused the State Election Commission of bias, claiming the entire administration was being misused by the government to secure victory in the polls, reported news agency PTI.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar voted in Mumbai.
Thackeray cast his vote in the Dadar area, accompanied by his family members, including his mother Kunda.
Later, speaking to reporters, he targeted the State Election Commission over the use of the Printing Auxiliary Display Unit (PADU) in the civic polls.
The SEC did not even bother to give any clarification on the use of PADU and extended the canvassing time to allow distribution of money (by ruling parties), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief alleged, reported PTI.
He further claimed that the ink mark on the finger after casting a vote can be easily wiped off with sanitiser.
"They (the government) don't want the Opposition parties. The entire administration is being run by the government (to win the polls). This is not the sign of a healthy democracy. There is a limit to misuse of power," Thackeray said, reported PTI.
He asked his party workers to stay alert against any malpractices by rival parties in the polls.
Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray are fighting their toughest battle yet as they join forces in the BMC polls, aiming to control the country's richest civic body.
The cousins have placed the cause of the "Marathi manoos" and Marathi pride at the centre of their campaign.
Raj Thackeray has conceded defeat in BMC polls, hence blaming SEC: BJP leader Shelar
Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Thursday claimed that MNS chief Raj Thackeray had already accepted his party's defeat in the Mumbai civic polls and was blaming the State Election Commission for passing the buck.
Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray have raised objections over the use of Printing Auxiliary Display Units (PADU) during the civic elections underway on Thursday.
PADU is being used in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls for the first time to facilitate vote counting in the event of technical glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs).
They will act as backup units, BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani had said, adding that these, like the other EVM units, will remain with Returning Officers and will be used only in case of emergency.
To a question, Shelar said Raj Thackeray was coming up with baseless excuses to deflect responsibility for his party's performance in the BMC polls and blaming the SEC for passing the buck, reported PTI.
"I appeal to voters to come forward and vote in large numbers for progress and development. This is an opportunity to teach a lesson to (Uddhav) Thackeray and his way of running the BMC," he told reporters.
To a query on the Thackeray cousins projecting the Marathi identity as a core poll plank, Shelar dismissed it, saying it was not an issue in the campaign.
This election is about development and progressive policies for Mumbai, who will develop the city and how it will be developed are the issues, he maintained.
Shelar said Thackeray had adopted a similar campaign line in 2014 and 2017, but failed to get the expected success.
"When the vote counting is over tomorrow, you will see a tsunami in favour of the (BJP-led) Mahayuti here," he claimed, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
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