BJP is manipulating voters’ lists in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Sanjay Raut alleges  

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut accuses BJP of voter list tampering in Maharashtra and Jharkhand ahead of elections.

Ahead of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray or UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, addressing a press conference in Mumbai on Sunday, levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including tampering with voters’ lists in both States with the help of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

“There is manipulation happening in the voters’ lists in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Similar attempts were made in Haryana. The BJP is trying to mess up the voters’ lists with the help of the ECI. They [the BJP] are removing 10,000 voters who voted for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in every constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, and replacing those 10,000 voters with another 10,000 bogus voters, thus reducing our chances of winning. We will raise this issue on international platforms to let people know how democracy is being destroyed in this country,” Mr. Raut told the reporters here.  

He further alleged that the ECI had scheduled the election in a manner that would restrict the MVA from forming a government effectively. “The counting will take place on November 23, which means the MVA partners — Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, NCP-SP (Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar) and other small parties will have only 48 hours for government formation. The BJP seem to have accepted their defeat already — that is the reason the party is playing different cards, such as engaging in voter list fraud with the help of the ECI, and trying to limit the time available for the MVA to discuss and decide about government formation,” Mr. Raut said.  

The ECI is acting as the BJP’s spokesperson, Mr. Raut said. “The ECI does not speak a word on the alleged tampering of EVM machines in the Haryana State elections, and has not taken any action on the complaints raised against the misuse of money during the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

Mr. Raut also held Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for all the discrepancies. “The Election Commission comes under the Home Minister and undoubtedly, Mr. Shah is responsible for these discrepancies happening in the State. Mr. Shah is trying his best to impose the President’s Rule in Maharashtra, but we will not let such things happen,” he said.  

Maharashtra goes to the polls on November 20; results will be declared on November 23.