Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena will hold demonstrations on Thursday to protest the swearing in ceremony of the new Mahayuti government headed by Devendra Fadnavis. The new Mahayuti government has won with the help of EVMs manipulation and not by people’s mandate, the Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged.
“We firmly believe that this government is not coming to power as a result of public mandate, but with the blessings of EVMs. Hence, a sit-in agitation and protests will be held on behalf of all parties and organizations in front of the Pune Vidhan Bhavan gate from 3 to 5:30 pm,” said Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushama Andhare.
We are appealing to the leaders, activists and intellectuals of all party organizations who have immense faith in the democratic system to participate in this movement, she added.
BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis will take oath as the 31st Chief Minister of Maharashtra in the swearing-in ceremony to be held at Azad Maidan on Thursday, December 5.
In the recently held Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti cruised to victory, winning 235 of 288 Assembly seats. The saffron party won 132 – its best-ever score in a Maharashtra election – on its own. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won just 49 seats; the Thackeray Sena got 20, the Congress 16, and Sharad Pawar's NCP group just 10.
However, the MVA has loudly protested the result of Maharashtra elections claiming large-scale discrepancies in the use of EVMs. They have also threatened to launch a mass movement in the state against the voting machines.
The Shiv Sena UBT also alleged that the caretaker government sent swearing in invitations even before proving its majority before the governor.
“According to the norms, the governor invites the party to form the government after the latter claims its majority before him. However, this caretaker government has directly announced the swearing-in ceremony through the Chief Secretary. It is a pleasure to see what is happening,” the party said mockingly.