Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray jointly led the Garjana Morcha in Mumbai on 4 October 2026, marching from Metro Cinema to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters in a rare show of Thackeray family solidarity. The rally delivered a sharp challenge to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India (ECI), with protesters demanding an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and a return to paper ballots.

A Broad Opposition Coalition Takes to the Streets

The march drew substantial cross-party support, with key constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — including the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Indian National Congress — joining the Thackerays on the streets. The Communist Parties and the Peasants and Workers Party also participated. Notably, thousands of demonstrators ditched party flags in favour of the Tricolour, signalling a deliberate framing of the protest as a citizens' movement rather than a partisan one.

Raj Thackeray's Core Allegations

Raj Thackeray spotlighted what he called a glaring statistical anomaly: Maharashtra's voter rolls reportedly swelled by 40 to 60 lakh voters within a brief six-month window following the Lok Sabha elections — a surge he termed a deliberate attempt to compromise electoral integrity. He further questioned the muted public reaction following the state Assembly election results, arguing that a genuine democratic mandate is typically accompanied by spontaneous celebration, not widespread disillusionment.

Recalling his earlier warnings, Raj Thackeray noted that he had previously met senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and Sharad Pawar between 2017 and 2018 to raise concerns about EVM vulnerabilities and voter list discrepancies — concerns he said were not acted upon adequately at the time.

'SIR in the country is illegal. I have only two demands. First, the SIR conducted in Maharashtra must be scrapped. Second, all future elections must be conducted on ballot papers. This will ensure complete transparency, doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani,' Raj Thackeray said. He added, 'I request all political parties to go to Delhi and raise their voices. Tomorrow, whichever party comes to power... it doesn't matter. But power must be attained through legitimate and fair means.'

Uddhav Thackeray Targets Centre and ECI

Uddhav Thackeray mounted a separate line of attack, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre of systematically gaining control over constitutional institutions and engineering splits in opposition parties. He questioned the immunity that CEC Gyanesh Kumar reportedly enjoys both during his tenure and after retirement, calling for his immediate removal. Uddhav argued that the centralisation of power within the poll panel undermines the credibility of democratic processes.

What This Signals for Maharashtra Politics

The joint march represents a significant recalibration in Maharashtra's political landscape. The Thackeray cousins — who lead rival parties — rallying alongside MVA allies has elevated electoral integrity to the centre of public debate ahead of any future electoral contests. This comes amid an ongoing national conversation about the independence of the ECI and the design of voter roll revision processes. Critics argue that the SIR mechanism, as currently structured, risks both disenfranchising legitimate voters and allowing bogus entries into rolls — charges the ECI has not publicly addressed in detail. Whether the demand for paper ballots gains traction beyond street protests remains to be seen.