Mumbai, Sep 12 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday criticized the Election Commission for its lack of seriousness during the election for the Vice President of India, a crucial constitutional role.

“The vote-stealing game is being permitted here as well. If this is indeed true, the election of CP Radhakrishnan, a candidate from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was secured through vote stealing, black money, intimidation, and threats,” stated the Shiv Sena UBT.

The Thackeray faction, in the party's mouthpiece Saamana, strongly advocated for a rule ensuring that no one can abstain from such elections and that voting should be conducted openly rather than through secret ballots.

“While there is a call for mandatory voting, parties elected to Parliament engage in 'horse trading' and boycott voting by forming alliances of neutrality. Recognition of such parties should be revoked. Radhakrishnan should take these matters to heart. A person's true nature is revealed when they assume a position of power. The true essence of the new Vice President will soon be apparent,” the editorial remarked.

The Thackeray faction also proposed that the very first action of Radhakrishnan after taking the oath should be to enact legislation to prevent the ruling party from engaging in horse trading during elections for constitutional roles such as the President and Vice President.

According to the editorial, following Radhakrishnan’s victory, the BJP and its affiliates have begun to celebrate what they claim is a monumental win. The NDA already had a majority, and with their abundant resources and financial power, they utilized it in the Vice Presidential election.

“The opposition's candidate, B Sudarshan Reddy, received 300 votes against their 315. Approximately 15 votes were declared invalid, most of which were likely cast for Sudarshan Reddy but were invalidated due to technical issues. There’s a suspicion that only two to five votes were misplaced. Such occurrences are common in major elections. Parties like the Biju Janata Dal and Bharat Rashtra Samiti, fearing scrutiny from investigation agencies, chose the path of neutrality, which contradicts constitutional principles,” the editorial claimed.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena targeted the BJP, alleging that the same tactics they employed in Gram Panchayat, Zilla Parishad, and Assembly elections were also applied in the Vice Presidential election.

“Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar has not been seen since his resignation. Even after the new Vice President's election, Dhankar remains absent. No one within the NDA is willing to speak on this pressing issue. The newly appointed Vice President should address this 'invisible' matter. The Vice Presidential role carries constitutional significance, and its dignity must be upheld. Yet, the ruling BJP celebrates Radhakrishnan's victory while making exaggerated claims of fracturing opposition parties. This undermines the respect associated with that position,” the Thackeray faction alleged.

Furthermore, the Thackeray camp emphasized that with completely secret voting, it has become simpler to manipulate votes during such pivotal elections in the era of the BJP. “Regardless of how much the BJP and its allies discuss cross-voting among opposition members, it seems that only two or five individuals have acted disloyally. Reports from BJP circles suggested that those who crossed voted were sent abroad, with travel arrangements made by associates of the ruling party. This too tarnishes the integrity of the Vice Presidential election. Individuals in constitutional roles must operate impartially. The new Vice President, Radhakrishnan, bears the responsibility to act fairly and uphold the values of democracy and the Constitution,” the editorial concluded.