In a fiery joint address on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray launched a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti alliance, demanding the cancellation of civic elections in wards where candidates were elected unopposed. The cousins, presenting a united front, accused the current dispensation of undermining democracy and orchestrating large-scale financial corruption within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Allegations of "Mobocracy" and a Massive Financial Scam
Uddhav Thackeray did not mince words, asserting that democracy in the country was being supplanted by "mobocracy." He trained his guns on the state of affairs since the fall of his government in June 2022 and the rise of the Eknath Shinde-led administration. The former chief minister alleged a systematic diversion of BMC funds, intended for public welfare, to benefit contractors.
He presented staggering figures to back his corruption claims. "If the BMC’s annual expenditure is around Rs 15,000 crore, advance mobilisation payments to contractors amount to Rs 3 lakh crore. This is a Rs 3 lakh crore scam, and the kickback money is being used for civic elections," Thackeray alleged. He called for the State Election Commission to demonstrate courage by nullifying the results in wards where candidates faced no opposition and restarting the polling process there.
This demand comes in the backdrop of the BJP and its Mahayuti allies securing 68 seats unopposed in the upcoming civic polls scheduled for January 15. Uddhav accused the ruling parties of first "stealing votes" and now "stealing candidates," thereby depriving voters, especially the youth (Gen Z), of their fundamental right to choose.
MNS-Sena (UBT) Alliance Unveils Manifesto, Stresses Marathi Identity
The joint event also served as the platform to unveil the alliance's manifesto for the crucial Mumbai civic polls. Raj Thackeray emphasized the core issue of regional identity, a longstanding plank of his party. He firmly stated that the mayor of Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra must be Marathi, underlining the need for respect towards the state's linguistic and cultural identity.
Issuing a warning to the ruling BJP, Raj Thackeray remarked that power is transient. He accused the BJP of setting a dangerous precedent through its current actions and reminded the audience that the party had itself approached the Supreme Court in similar cases of unopposed wins in West Bengal, questioning its contradictory stand now.
Speaker in the Line of Fire and SEC Probe
Uddhav Thackeray also targeted Maharashtra Assembly Speaker and BJP MLA from Colaba, Rahul Narwekar. He accused Narwekar of violating the model code of conduct during the civic polls, interfering in the nomination process, and even tampering with CCTV footage. Thackeray demanded the Speaker's immediate suspension, arguing that the position must remain politically neutral.
Narwekar swiftly rejected these allegations, labelling them as "baseless and politically motivated." Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) has stepped in, seeking a detailed report from BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani. This action follows complaints that returning officers in south Mumbai’s Colaba area refused to accept nomination forms on the final day of filing.
The controversy specifically involves wards 225, 226, and 227, where Narwekar's relatives are contesting: his brother Makrand Narwekar, sister Gauri Shivalkar, and sister-in-law Harshita Shivalkar, respectively.
Political Rebuttal and the Scale of the Polls
Responding to the opposition's charges, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, at a roadshow in Chandrapur, expressed confidence in the people's mandate. "They can go to court, but the people’s court has already elected us," he said, accusing the Opposition of making excuses anticipating defeat.
The stage is set for a major electoral battle. Polling will be held on January 15 for 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra. According to SEC data, a total of 33,247 nominations were filed. After scrutiny, 24,771 were found valid. Following withdrawals by 8,840 candidates, a total of 15,931 candidates remain in the fray for 2,869 seats across 893 wards. Mumbai, with its 227 single-member seats, remains the biggest prize in this electoral contest.
