Thackeray cousins flag ‘insult to democracy’ as ruling alliance candidates elected unopposed in BMC polls

Thackeray also sought the suspension of Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, alleging that Opposition candidates were pressured during the nomination process. (Express photo by Akash Patil)

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday raised questions over the conduct of the ongoing municipal elections in Maharashtra, after several candidates from the ruling alliance were elected unopposed, a first in the state’s civic poll history in recent years.

Of the 67 unopposed winners, 45 are from the BJP and 22 from the Shiv Sena, including one candidate backed by the BJP.

Addressing a joint press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan, where the two leaders also released a common manifesto for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Uddhav Thackeray called unopposed elections an “insult to democracy”.

“When candidates are elected without a contest, voters are denied their right to vote. The Election Commission is depriving citizens of their democratic rights,”Thackeray said.

He demanded that such elections be cancelled and that a fresh election process be conducted in the affected wards.

He said the Speaker’s conduct was not in keeping with the neutrality expected from the post.

Raj Thackeray questioned the BJP’s stand on the issue, recalling that the party had earlier moved the Supreme Court when similar unopposed elections took place in West Bengal. “What is the BJP’s position now?”he asked, calling the trend a “wrong precedent” that could harm democratic processes.

Earlier, the two leaders jointly released their manifesto, which focuses on housing, civic services and infrastructure in Mumbai. The document promises affordable housing on BMC-owned land, a separate municipal housing authority, and improved services related to water supply, waste management, roads, transport, health and education.

Raj Thackeray, returning to Sena Bhavan after nearly 20 years, added a lighter moment to the event by saying it felt “like being released from jail”, but asserted that Mumbai would have a “Marathi mayor” after the elections.