Mumbai: Claiming discrepancies in EVMs in the recently held Maharashtra assembly elections, Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi members today announced to not take oath as MLAs on the first day of the special assembly session while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies — Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar took oath as members of the Mahayuti government.
The special session of the Lower House of the state legislature commenced at 11 am, with several ruling party members, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, taking their oaths as assembly members.
In contrast, members of the opposition parties—Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP)—chose not to take the oath.
Speaking to reporters outside the assembly, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray said, “We boycotted the oath-taking ceremony today as democracy is being murdered by the use of EVMs…This (the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections) is not the mandate of the public it is the mandate of EVM and the Election Commission of India.”
#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray says, “We boycotted the oath-taking ceremony today as democracy is being murdered by the use of EVMs…This (the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections) is not the mandate of the public it is the mandate of EVM and… pic.twitter.com/3dPx3gvvFM
— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2024
“We are not taking oath, taking into cognisance the doubts in the minds of people,” he added.
The opposition is also protesting against the curfew and arrests made in Markadwadi village, located in the Malshiras assembly constituency of Solapur. Villagers in the area have been demanding a mock poll using ballot papers, Thackeray said.
In the November 20 assembly elections, the Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP retained power in Maharashtra, securing a total of 230 out of 288 assembly seats. The BJP won 132 seats, Shiv Sena claimed 57, and the NCP obtained 41 seats.
