"Elections are not fair": Aditya Thackeray voices concern after meeting Kejriwal

Shiv Sena UBT leader Aditya Thackeray met Aam Aadmi Party AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday describing the interaction as a gesture of friendship However he also expressed serious concerns regarding electoral fairness alleging irregularities in the voting process across multiple statesGovernments come and go but relationships remain Thackeray remarked after the meeting as per PTI reports He was accompanied by senior Shiv Sena UBT leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi The leaders discussed the recent Delhi Assembly elections and deliberated on the future of the opposition INDIA blocThackeray accused the Election Commission EC of largescale manipulation in voters lists claiming that such irregularities were observed not just in Maharashtra but also in Haryana Odisha and Delhi The Election Commission has deprived people of their right to vote It is not even willing to discuss this issue he stated He further asserted that the opposition would formally raise this matter to ensure accountabilityHighlighting the importance of electoral transparency Thackeray stated Free and fair elections are essential for the country According to PTI he stressed that any compromises in the electoral process could undermine the democratic structure of the nationThe February 5 Delhi Assembly elections saw a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP which secured 48 out of 70 seats while AAP managed to win 22 The Congress which is also a part of the opposition INDIA bloc alongside Shiv Sena UBT and AAP failed to win a single seat for the third consecutive electionAAP has alleged that the Congress sabotaged its chances in at least 13 seats further straining ties within the opposition alliance The meeting between Thackeray and Kejriwal is being seen as an attempt to foster unity within the INDIA bloc and strategise for future electionsShiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray meets Rahul Gandhi in Delhi amid rumblings within MVAShiv Sena UBT leaderAditya Thackeraymet with Congress leader and Lok Sabharsquos LoP Rahul Gandhi amid rumblings in the opposition MVA after NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar felicitated Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde PTI reportedHe met Gandhi in New Delhi late on WednesdayAs per PTI the duo has also learnt to have discussed allegations against theElection Commission of IndiaECI in the conduct of electionsAditya Thackeray is also scheduled to meet AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal whose party lost the Delhi assembly elections held last weekMaharashtras opposition coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA has been in turmoil after Sharad Pawar handed out the Mahadji Shinde Rashtra Gaurav Puraskar to Eknath Shinde who had walked away with the majority of legislators of the thenundivided Shiv Sena in 2022 which toppled Uddhav Thackerays government PTI reportedShinde became the chief minister of Maharashtra with support from the BJP and subsequently gained control of the Shiv SenaThe Mahayuti alliance consisting of the BJP Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawarled Nationalist Congress Party NCP won theMaharashtra elections 2024 giving a major blow to the MVA which was hoping to repeat their 2024 Lok Sabha elections performance PTI reportedThe Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena has termed Shinde as a traitor and was shocked to see Pawar felicitate him with an award instituted by Punebased NGO SarhadThose who are antiMaharashtra are antinationals We cannot honour such persons who indulge in such dirty work This goes against our principles I am not aware of his Pawars principles Aditya Thackeray said PTI reportedThe BJP came to power in Delhi winning 48 out of the 70 assembly seats in the city while AAP managed to secure 22 in the assembly elections held last weekAccording to PTI the KejriwalledAam Aadmi PartyAAP has been alleging that the Congress which drew a blank for the third consecutive elections sabotaged its chances of getting at least 13 seatsIn last years Maharashtra assembly election the Mahayuti bagged 235 seats in the 288member House while the opposition MVA managed 50With inputs from PTI