Maharashtra Elections 2024: MVA accuses Mahayuti of tampering with electoral rolls

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole, NCP-SP National president Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, during a press conference last week. Pic/Satej Shinde

The Maha Vikas Aghadi has accused the Mahayuti government of deleting the names of pro-MVA voters from the electoral rolls ahead of Maharashtra Elections 2024. It said a government-appointed workforce employed for Yojana Doot Scheme was doing this job on the behest of the ruling parties that wanted 10,000-20,000 names deleted from the constituencies where MVA was leading in previous elections, including Lok Sabha polls.

The MVA leaders addressed a media conference before submitting a complaint to the State Electoral Officer S Chokkalingam on Friday. State Congress president Nana Patole, opposition leader in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, opposition leader in the Council, Ambadas Danve, Shiv Sena (UBT) member of Lok Sabha, Anil Desai, and NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad comprised the delegation.

Patole presented a video in which the sarpanch of Telana in Buldhana district, Kiran Gadekar, was seen explaining how the names were deleted online by using Form-7 (provided by the Election Commission of India). "We want the Yojana Doot scheme scrapped because the interns who are paid by the government are going door to door to get the job done, without the knowledge of the voters," added Patole. "I tell the BJP that it should fight us face to face instead of attacking us from behind. Mahayuti is playing foul. Let's check the electoral rolls first," he said further.

Patole alleged that the paid interns, who worked under the garb of the Yojana Doot scheme, were affiliated with the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). "We will request the Election Commission to stop Yojana Doot interns in their tracks before they delete the names of the voters who belong to the MVA ideology," added Patole.

According to Awhad, the process of filling out Form 7 online was wrong. "They have managed to delete 5,000 names in Sinnar. But the names were restored when an objection was raised. So, We request people of Maharashtra to check their names, and ensure that they are added if deleted," he stated.

Danve too described some similar cases. Desai said the deletions were shocking and exposed the Election Commission's claim of transparency.

Wadettiwar said he would check with the Chief Secretary whether the decisions, tenders and appointments made after the code of conduct were scrapped as per the Election Commission's directive.