Maharashtra’s municipal polls have descended into chaos with Congress launching a blistering attack on the Mahayuti alliance, accusing them of engineering a fake voting blitz to clinch wins in pivotal civic bodies. The opposition contends that phantom voters and tampered counts robbed them of rightful seats in a contest that was supposed to test governance records.
Detailed in a white paper released today, Congress highlighted anomalies like voter lists bloated with deceased names and sudden spikes in turnout exceeding 90% in alliance strongholds. ‘We’ve uncovered a web of deceit spanning multiple corporations,’ declared a party spokesperson, flanked by activists who claimed to have video evidence of booth capturing.
The alliance’s dominance in elections for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and others has been a boon for their narrative of invincibility. Yet, Congress counters with data showing mismatches between Form 20 figures and actual polling. In Kolhapur, they allege, migrant workers were bussed in to cast fraudulent votes under false identities.
Public outrage is building, with Congress planning statewide agitations and petitions to the Bombay High Court. Mahayuti remains unfazed, attributing their success to anti-incumbency against the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi regime. ‘These are desperate tactics from a defeated foe,’ quipped a Shiv Sena leader.
Experts note that civic polls often serve as semi-finals for bigger battles, making this dispute particularly incendiary. With control over urban infrastructure at stake, the fallout could reshape alliances and voter sentiments. The Election Commission has acknowledged the complaints and promised a probe, but skeptics doubt swift action.
As tensions simmer, social media is ablaze with memes and debates, amplifying the narrative of electoral theft. Congress hopes to galvanize its base, turning setback into a rallying cry against perceived authoritarianism. Whether this leads to overturned results or merely political theater remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Maharashtra’s democracy is under scrutiny.
