BJP's Kirit Somaiya hits out at Raj Thackeray over voter list allegations ahead of local body polls

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 20 (ANI): Reacting to allegations made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray against the Election Commission, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said on Monday that both Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray are raising questions because the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is slipping out of their hands.
This comes after Raj Thackeray claimed that 9.6 million fake voters have been added ahead of the Mumbai civic body polls.
Speaking to ANI, Somaiya said, "These are the same voters who were there during the Lok Sabha elections as well, but back then they had no doubts about the voter list because they managed to win 31 out of 48 seats. That same list was used in the assembly elections in 2024. Now Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Rahul Gandhi are raising questions about the voter list. This voter list was actually prepared in 2001. Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has not been conducted in the last 24 years. The voter list is not prepared by the Election Commission in Delhi. It is prepared by the District Officer or the Revenue Officer."
He added, "In fact, Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have realised that the municipal corporation is slipping out of their hands, so they are raising such questions."
Earlier, the MNS Chief asked the Election Commission not to hold elections in Maharashtra until the issue of fake voters is cleaned up.
Addressing party workers ahead of local body elections on Sunday, MNS chief said, "Reliable information has just been received that 9.6 million fake voters have been added. This is an insult to the voters of Maharashtra and the country. All the group presidents (group presidents), branch presidents, and election list heads should go door to door and count the votes. I'm asking the Election Commission not to hold elections in Maharashtra until this is clean."
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday expressed support for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who recently alleged that 9.6 million fake voters have been added to the voter list.
Addressing the issue in the press conference held today in Mumbai, Raut clarified the party's position, saying, "We have never said that we will not contest the BMC election. We only said that first, the voter list should be corrected. According to Raj Thackeray, 9.6 million voters are bogus in the list."Raut further announced a protest action, stating, "On November 1, all Opposition parties will participate in a long march against the bogus voters in the list."
Furthermore, Raut on Sunday announced plans for a meeting with election officials in Maharashtra, led by party chief Uddhav Thackeray, to address concerns over discrepancies in the voter list.
Raut stated that Thackeray, along with other party leaders, including Raj Thackeray of MNS and Sharad Pawar of NCP-SCP, will meet officials to discuss voter list discrepancies. (ANI)