Mumbai, January 5 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) has leveled serious allegations against the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra, accusing it of driving the state into an unprecedented moral and democratic decline. They described the current municipal elections as a farce, marked by the mafia-like manipulation of democratic processes through financial influence and intimidation of rival candidates.

The controversy arose from the election of approximately 70 corporators who were declared elected without contest, which the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction claims reflects intense rivalry between the BJP and the Shinde-led group to monopolize these uncontested positions, representing a distortion of democracy.

In a harsh editorial published in the party's official mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Thackeray group stated that the political landscape in Maharashtra has reached a concerning level of authoritarianism and institutional arrogance. They argue that if the ruling alliance is willing to buy electoral victories before any votes are cast, then the Election Commission should be completely dissolved.

“Reports indicate that opposition candidates were coerced into withdrawing after being offered substantial bribes ranging from lakhs to crores. Allegedly, the 'market price' for loyalty was different across cities, with Thane offering between Rs 5 to 8 crore, Kalyan-Dombivli Rs 3 crore, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Rs 2 crore, and Panvel and Bhiwandi between Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakh, among others,” the Thackeray faction claimed.

Furthermore, it was claimed that payments were made directly to the candidates' residences right after their withdrawal, frequently bypassing the approval of their original political parties.

The editorial also accused the BJP of extreme hypocrisy, comparing their actions to a two-faced earthworm. In 2018, the BJP vehemently protested and took legal action when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 34 percent of seats unopposed in West Bengal, branding it a murder of democracy and bringing the issue to the Supreme Court. Now, the BJP is allegedly employing similar tactics in Maharashtra.

Legal and political analysts suggest that uncontested victories should be declared invalid due to the presence of the NOTA (None of the Above) option on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). “Voters should have the option to reject all candidates. If NOTA garners the highest votes, the election must be annulled and held again. By declaring candidates as winners without any voting, the Election Commission undermines the voters' right to select NOTA,” the editorial stated.

The Thackeray faction further labeled the ongoing municipal elections as the most repugnant and distorted in Maharashtra's history. They claimed that the very credibility of the state is being undermined by a flood of money influencing the administration, police, and candidates.

They criticized the hoardings of ruling alliance leaders portraying themselves as the architects of a fast-paced Mumbai, calling them the true architects of rapid electoral corruption. “If victories can be purchased before a single vote is cast, then the very existence of the Election Commission is called into question,” the Thackeray camp concluded.