Should President Murmu Investigate the Maharashtra Assembly Election Results?

Mumbai, June 12 (NationPress) As the Maharashtra Congress prepares for a series of statewide protests on Thursday, former state President and senior leader Nana Patole has urged President Murmu to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the alleged fraud and 'match-fixing' that occurred during the Maharashtra Assembly elections last year.

In a formal letter, Patole has called for the formation of a high-level committee to thoroughly examine the situation without bias.

He also demanded that the MahaYuti government, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, be dissolved until the investigation is concluded.

"This is necessary as the current administration has seized power by violating the trust of the electorate," he stated.

Patole emphasized that the citizens of Maharashtra cast their votes in good faith, yet the alleged electoral discrepancies have undermined the very foundations of democracy.

He has implored the President to ensure that the will of the people is honored through decisive action in these matters.

Patole highlighted that irregularities were reported in 12,000 polling booths across 82 Assembly constituencies, casting doubt on the integrity of the voting process.

“This is not merely a concern voiced by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, but a question raised by millions of voters from villages, towns, and tribal regions. The ordinary citizen is questioning whether the elections were conducted fairly, if their votes were misused, and whether there was manipulation in the sanctum of democracy,” he articulated in his correspondence to the President of India.

“There have been instances of rigging and discrepancies in the Assembly elections. This issue transcends administrative failure; it is an assault on the essence of the Constitution of India and the rights of voters. Hence, it is vital to demand an impartial, transparent, and independent investigation,” Patole asserted.

His letter follows a recent statement by Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi, who described the Maharashtra Assembly election held in 2024 as a "match-fixing exercise." He claimed the level of fraud was so blatant that evidence has surfaced from official statistics, independent of any governmental source, detailing a systematic playbook.

In his article, LoP Gandhi also noted that the voter turnout at 5 PM was reported at 58.22 percent, yet the final turnout was inflated to 66.05 percent by the next morning, an astonishing rise of 7.83 percent equivalent to 76 lakh voters, significantly surpassing previous state Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi remarked, “The reasons behind the extensive rigging in Maharashtra in November 2024 are not hard to decipher. Rigging resembles match-fixing; while the colluding party may win, irreparable harm is inflicted on institutions and public trust in the outcomes.”

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress has organized statewide demonstrations today to protest against the alleged electoral fraud in the Assembly elections.

Congress workers are expected to call for an investigation into the purported electoral scam, with state unit chief Harshwardhan Sapkal leading the protest in Gadchiroli district.