Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s son and senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray met Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
Calling the current electoral process neither free nor fair, Aaditya Thackeray stressed the urgent need for the INDIA alliance to strategize its next move. With top brass from both the parties like Sanjay Singh, Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Arvind Sawant, and Sanjay Dina Patil in attendance, the meeting signaled collective opposition outrage over blatant electoral manipulation.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader and Member of the Maharashtra Assembly, Aaditya Thackeray, said that today they met with the AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. “It is clear in the heart of the Shiv Sena (UBT) Party that governments come and go, but our relationship will continue as it is. That is what we came here to convey. The work that Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP have done for Delhi over the past 10 years is well known to the people of Delhi,” he added.
Aaditya Thackeray further added, “In this election, the Election Commission played a significant role. The BJP had the ‘blessings of the Election Commission’, and the BJP should be grateful for that.”
Aaditya Thackeray stated that on Wednesday, he spoke with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and today, he discussed with Arvind Kejriwal that the INDIA alliance and all parties must now think about their next steps because our elections are no longer free and fair. “We will continue to fight in the interest of the nation. We will continue to raise the voice of the people. If we have to take to the streets for the country’s welfare, we will do so,” he affirmed.
Aaditya Thackeray said that the AAP and the Congress will conduct their own reviews of the Delhi elections, but the friendship within the INDIA alliance will remain intact. Additionally, it is crucial to analyze how votes were manipulated in several places because the Election Commission has deprived people of their voting rights. A discussion on this issue is necessary.
Aaditya Thackeray said, “We are raising the issue of how Maharashtra’s voter count suddenly increased by 47 lakhs. Who cast the 76 lakh votes after the final deadline? Is there any video footage or token for this? The Election Commission is completely unwilling to discuss this. This pattern has been in elections across Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, and Maharashtra. This is proof that free and fair elections no longer exist in our country.”
Aaditya Thackeray emphasized that this is a matter of national interest, and therefore, we will all fight together. Anyone can win or lose an election, but it is essential for elections to be free and fair. We will continue to fight and refine our strategy. It feels as if we are playing a game of chess with the Election Commission. If they adopt certain tactics, we will have to respond accordingly. This will continue.
During this meeting, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh expressed gratitude to Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Arvind Sawant, and all MPs of the Shiv Sena (UBT faction), along with the state president Mangat Ram Monde. “It is commendable that, regardless of the election results, the foundation of our relationship remains strong. With this unity, we will move forward and work for the nation. Based on the public mandate and the irregularities in the elections, we are formulating our future strategy,” said the AAP MP.
