Maharashtra elections: MNS chief, son harbour differing views on alleged EVM discrepancies

Weeks after Raj Thackeray expressed doubts over state Assembly polls results, Amit asked party workers for evidence for such claims

MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his son Amit seem to have differing views on whether the alleged discrepancies surrounding electronic voting machines (EVMs) should be held responsible for the outcome of the recently concluded state Assembly polls. In the last week of January 2025, while addressing party workers at the National Sports Club of India, in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray expressed doubts over EVMs and the Assembly poll results.

An office-bearer told mid-day on the condition of anonymity, “A couple of weeks after Raj saheb made this statement, during a meeting with office-bearers at the MNS’s Dadar office, an office-bearer cited discrepancies in EVMs as a reason for the party’s poor performance during the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Amit saheb refused to accept this, and categorically stated, ‘I don’t believe this. Those talking about discrepancies should provide evidence.”

In 2009, the MNS bagged 13 seats after contesting its maiden Assembly election, making its presence felt in Maharashtra’s political landscape. But since 2012, the party’s graph has been declining and now the situation is such that it lost its sole seat in the Assembly election and failed to open its account in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. Even Amit failed to make his political debut as he lost the contest for the Mahim Assembly constituency. During the meeting referred to by the office-bearer, the Thackeray scion pointed out to workers that the party felt short of reaching every household.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies in Maharashtra have been raising questions about EVMs after the Assembly results were announced. While the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) have been blaming EVMs for their lacklustre performances, leaders from the ruling BJP hit back, citing the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, saying that the Opposition raises the EVM issue only when it loses elections. However, Raj Thackeray was the latest leader to join the anti-EVM bandwagon.

Following his party’s dismal performance, the MNS chief, in a meeting held in January, hinted at making internal changes in the party and introducing a code of conduct to instill discipline in its rank and file. Despite several allegations and apprehensions raised by the Opposition parties over EVMs, the Election Commission of India on every occasion has affirmed their inerrancy.

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