Mumbai, Nov 24 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) has leveled serious allegations against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming it has orchestrated a large-scale “unopposed election scam” during Maharashtra’s local body elections. They liken figures like Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to “puppeteers” manipulating the electoral process behind the curtains.

These allegations suggest a disturbing trend of uncontested wins, previously highlighted in Delhi and Bihar, now appearing across Maharashtra’s districts and talukas, raising profound concerns regarding the health of our democracy and adherence to the Constitution.

In a fierce editorial published in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana, the Thackeray faction argues that the BJP’s reliance on coercion, financial incentives, and administrative manipulation to achieve unopposed victories reflects a deep-seated fear of real electoral competition, leading to the “visible collapse” of democratic institutions.

“If such practices persist in a politically pivotal state like Maharashtra, the moral integrity of the Constitution and the legitimacy of elections will be severely compromised, even while the BJP portrays these local body polls as a prestige battle to showcase its strength,” the editorial warns.

The piece further accuses the BJP of ensuring that relatives of its leaders secure unopposed positions within municipal corporations, Nagar Parishads, and Nagar Panchayats by coercing opposition candidates into withdrawal through threats, pressure, and bribes.

Reported incidents in Jamner, Daund, and a Nagar Parishad in Solapur district have allegedly escalated into public unrest, while areas like Chikhaldara and Daund are noted for family members of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Minister Jaykumar Rawal securing positions without contest, echoing broader complaints from the opposition regarding unopposed victories by BJP-affiliated relatives in the ongoing elections.

The editorial highlights a broader, “money-and-power-driven” strategy wherein BJP leaders openly claim to possess “bags of money” for campaigning and imply that government control will manage election expenses, while election authorities remain inactive.

“From Gram Panchayats to housing societies and cooperative banks, the BJP is working to cement its dominance through financial leverage and institutional manipulation, evolving into an 'election-obsessed' organization more concerned with securing and managing victories than upholding democratic values. Decisions regarding nomination form approvals and unopposed candidacies are made preemptively, with money allegedly changing hands even for uncontested seats among officials and local intermediaries,” the editorial reveals.

It draws a parallel with previous criticisms of the Bihar Assembly election results as a “scam” based on a predetermined formula, suggesting a similar strategy is being employed in Maharashtra’s civic elections, facilitated by “Gyanesh Kumar-type operators” embedded within the electoral framework.