According to Raut, the same individuals had earlier met Thackeray during the Lok Sabha elections as well. However, Thackeray refused to entertain them, citing his faith in the electoral process and democracy. Raut pointed out that the Maha Vikas Aghadi had won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra
According to Sanjay Raut, the same people had met Uddhav Thackeray (above) before the Lok Sabha elections, too. PIC/X
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday echoed NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar’s recent claims, stating that two individuals had also approached his party chief Uddhav Thackeray ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, offering to ensure victory in 60 to 65 "difficult" constituencies — allegedly through manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), reported PTI.
According to the Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), the same individuals had earlier met Thackeray during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well. However, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief refused to entertain them, citing his faith in the electoral process and democracy, claimed Raut. The Maha Vikas Aghadi had won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
On Saturday, Pawar had stirred a political row by revealing that two people had met him before the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 and “guaranteed” the Opposition victory in 160 out of 288 seats.
"Sharad Pawar said some people met him before the polls. The same set of people also met Uddhav Thackeray during the Lok Sabha (polls). We told them we believe in democracy and will win the Lok Sabha polls for sure, looking at the atmosphere in the country," Raut claimed while addressing the media.
He further alleged that the same individuals once again approached Thackeray ahead of the state Assembly polls held a few months later.
"We told them that the Opposition secured an overwhelming success (in Lok Sabha elections) and we will come to power in Vidhan Sabha (elections). They told us to assign them 60-65 difficult seats and promised victory through EVMs. However, Thackeray said we don't feel the need to do it," Raut added.
Raut claimed the duo made it clear that even if their offer was declined, those in power had already prepared a plan involving EVMs and electoral rolls.
"(They told us that) they can foresee our potential failure (in elections) and can help us. We still trusted the Election Commission and democracy. Unfortunately, those who met Uddhav and Sharad may have had an element of truth in their claim," he said.
Pawar, on Saturday, had said he introduced the two persons to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
"I introduced them to Rahul Gandhi. He ignored what was told to him. He was also of the view that we (Opposition) shouldn't get involved in such things and go to the people directly," he said.
The remarks come amid an escalating controversy over Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of "vote theft" against the BJP and the Election Commission.
Gandhi had earlier claimed there was a "huge criminal fraud" in the elections, alleging collusion between the BJP and the poll panel, and cited an analysis from a constituency in Karnataka to support his claims. He called it “a crime against the Constitution”.
A day later, Gandhi alleged that the BJP and the Election Commission colluded to "steal" the Lok Sabha elections from the people, claiming there was “vote theft” in at least three states.
In the 2024 Assembly polls, the BJP won 132 seats, while its allies — the Shiv Sena and NCP — secured 57 and 41 seats respectively.
Responding to the claims, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis questioned the timing of Pawar’s revelations, dismissing them as “a Salim-Javed script”.
(With PTI inputs)
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