Mumbai, Nov 3 (NationPress) - Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief of Shiv Sena(UBT), firmly dismissed the BJP's claim of 'vote jihad' on Monday. He emphasized that his party, together with other allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, is calling for a thorough cleaning of the voters' list before the forthcoming elections for local and civic bodies in Maharashtra.

Thackeray accused the Election Commission of India and the Central government of fearing the youth of Generation Z, asserting that those who turn 18 after the cut-off date of July 1 will be denied the opportunity to vote in the upcoming local and civic body elections.

He insisted that the youth who reach voting age after July 1 should be permitted to participate in the elections, stating, “The Election Commission must address inaccuracies, such as duplicate and fraudulent voters on the electoral rolls. Neither the Shiv Sena(UBT) nor other parties have indicated any fraudulent voters by their religion. The opposition supports elections but insists they occur only after the electoral rolls have been cleansed.”

At a press conference, held just two days following the 'Satyacha March' in Mumbai, he stated, “The Election Commission's cut-off date of June 1 for voter registration means that young individuals who turn 18 after July 1 will be unable to vote in the local elections. This deprives them of their voting rights. While their peers globally are rallying for change, why is the government at both state and national levels intimidated by Gen Z?”

Thackeray urged voters to visit their nearest Shiv Sena(UBT) shakha to verify their names on the voter list. He asked, “Has your name been excluded? Have you moved? Have your age, gender, or religion changed? Regardless of the ruling party, all other political entities are united against voter corruption. We are setting up centers for voter convenience. I encourage citizens to check their voting eligibility at these polling stations to understand how many young individuals are being denied their voting rights.”

Thackeray also praised BJP Minister Ashish Shelar for openly criticizing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, calling him 'Pappu'. He noted, “CM Fadnavis has not acknowledged the issue of vote theft, leading Ashish Shelar to courageously challenge Fadnavis, highlighting the confusion surrounding the voter list.”

“We suspect the Election Commission has mismanaged the Saksham app and its server. It's possible that someone registered in my name and received an OTP, resulting in my family's names being omitted. We urge voters to check their status at party shakhas. The Election Commission has become a ghost. If others are registered at your address, please bring it to our attention. We aim to unveil the corrupt practices of the Election Commission,” he added.

Thackeray reiterated the commitment of the Shiv Sena(UBT) and other opposition parties to seek judicial intervention to rectify errors in the voter rolls before the local and civic body elections are held in the state.