Aaditya Thackeray meets Rahul and Kejriwal in Delhi, says discussed ‘irregularities’ in polls

The meeting with Kejriwal on Thursday was followed by one with party MPs, said sources. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant told The Indian Express that these were courtesy visits to “friends”. The sources, however, said Gandhi and Thackeray discussed the issues in the MVA, besides the Maharashtra election.

The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SP) have alleged irregularities in the conduct of last year’s Maharashtra election, claiming that there were more registered voters in the state than its total adult population.

Thackeray told reporters that the meetings were aimed at preparing a plan to deal with the alleged electoral issues. He said: “Today, the future of our country is in the doldrums. Across the country, if you see there is voter fraud and EVM fraud… We don’t know where our vote is going. It is time to ask if our elections are free and fair.”

On Kejriwal, Thackeray said: “Governments will come and go… but relations will continue. Everyone is aware of the work Arvind Kejriwal has done in the past 10 years. In these polls, the Election Commission had a big role to play. And, the BJP must express gratitude to the Election Commission.”

The Sena (UBT) leader did not directly comment on the NCP (SP) chief giving an award to Deputy CM Shinde for “decisive leadership”. But he said: “Anyone who is a Maharashtra drohi is also a deshdrohi. They have not only broken our party and family but also the spine of Maharashtra — its industries. Farmer suicides, atrocities against women and unemployment have increased during their reign. This is treason against India and Maharashtra. We will never honour a person who has done such things. That is our principle. I cannot comment on his (Pawar’s) principles since I am way too junior. Not one of our members will ever go to the traitor Eknath Shinde.”

The Sena (UBT) had attacked Pawar on Wednesday, saying they never expected such an act from the leader.

Alleging that the BJP wants to finish off all regional parties, Thackeray said: “We are pretending we are living in a democracy, but perhaps it is no longer there. All parties will have to come together to fight this pretentious democracy. What happened with us and Kejriwal ji and Congress, could happen with Nitish ji, RJD and Chandrababu Naidu ji in future.”

“It is the BJP’s dream to finish all regional parties in the same manner that they wish to do so with the country’s democracy,” he said.

As for creating a roadmap for the INDIA bloc, he said that would be done by senior leaders of the constituent parties. On who should lead the INDIA bloc, Thackeray said: “The alliance has a joint leadership. There are many big leaders… This is not a battle of egos or for power. This is a battle in the interest of the country.”