Sena (UBT) backs Pawar, says same duo offered to help them win 60-65 seats through EVM management
'I was present at that meeting, where Uddhav Thackeray told them that he believes in the democratic system and rejected their offer,' Raut told reporters on Sunday morning.
Both the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are part of the MVA alongside the Congress and other smaller parties. The alliance had performed well in the Lok Sabha elections held in June 2024, winning 30 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. But it was trounced in the assembly polls held barely six months later, winning only 50 out of 288 seats.
On Saturday, Pawar told reporters in Nagpur that two people had approached him ahead of the assembly polls and guaranteed wins for the MVA in 160 of the 288 seats through 'EVM management'.
'MVA rejected the offer as we wanted to play it fair,' Pawar told reporters. He did not name the two persons or specify their organisational affiliation.
On Sunday, Raut too said that Thackeray had rejected an offer from the same two persons as he was confident of the MVA's victory, given the atmosphere in the state.
'We had done well in the Lok Sabha polls and were expecting a repetition of the results in the state polls,' the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.
When Thackeray and other Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders rejected the offer to secure wins in 60-65 through 'EVM management', the duo told them that the ruling Mahayuti alliance had planned to rig EVMs and electoral rolls to ensure the MVA's loss in the election.
'Now, we have realised that the people who had approached us were right,' Raut said.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) said it will organise state-wide protests under the banner of 'Janakrosh Andolan' against the Mahayuti government's corrupt practices and to seek the resignation of corrupt ministers. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray will participate in the demonstration at Shivaji Park, said sources in Shiv Sena (UBT).
Mahayuti alliance for BEST poll
After the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, respectively, decided to jointly contest the elections to the BEST Employees' Cooperative Credit Society, five unions affiliated to the ruling Mahayuti alliance have forged an alliance for the polls scheduled on August 18.
The alliance, Sahakar Samruddhi Panel, includes the Pravin Darekar and Prasad Lad-led Shramik Utkarsh Sabha, the Samarth BEST Kamgar Sanghatana led by fisheries minister Nitesh Rane, the Rashtriya Karmachari Sena led by Shiv Sena leader Kiran Pawaskar, the BEST SC/ST/VJNT Welfare Association led by Mahendra Salve and the Bahujan Sangh founded by the late Manoj Sansare.
The 84-year-old credit society has been under the control of the BEST Kamgar Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray for the past nine years, said Sanjay Ghadigaonkar, spokesperson of the Sahakar Samruddhi Panel.
'There has been widespread corruption in the functioning of the credit society over the past nine years, due to which many members have resigned and the society has been downgraded,' said Ghadigaonkar.
The credit society was downgraded from 'A' to 'B' category by the banking regulator based on its financial performance.
'The society is in a state of crisis and our panel will win the polls and eliminate corruption,' Ghadigaonkar said.
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