Election Controversy: Fadnavis Dismisses Claims of Manipulation

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismisses claims from opposition leaders that attempts were made to influence the upcoming assembly polls. Criticizing their inaction in reporting such incidents, he emphasized the importance of respecting the public mandate, highlighting the strong performance of the Mahayuti government in recent elections.

Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed allegations made by opposition leaders concerning potential election manipulation as fabrications. He expressed surprise that these leaders, who claimed to receive offers to influence polls, never reported the incidents to the police or Election Commission.

The accusations arose when NCP's Sharad Pawar claimed he was approached by individuals guaranteeing victory for the Opposition in 160 constituencies. Allegedly, these meetings were also with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who discouraged such involvement. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut echoed similar claims regarding Uddhav Thackeray.

Fadnavis remarked that despite challenges to election integrity, none of the parties showed evidence of EVM hacking when requested by the Election Commission. He reinforced the legitimacy of the Mahayuti government's mandate, citing their electoral success in November 2024 where they won a significant majority.

(With inputs from agencies.)