On October 27, 2025, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray delivered a significant address at the “Nirdhar Melava” rally held in Worli, Mumbai, where he raised serious concerns about the conduct of the Election Commission (EC) ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. Speaking to party office bearers from across the state, Mr. Thackeray asserted that his party intends to pursue legal action against the EC once the INDIA alliance comes to power at the Centre. He emphasized that party leaders would initiate cases against the EC, signaling a determined stand against what he described as irregularities in the electoral process.
Uddhav Thackeray’s address was marked by a stern warning to the Election Commission to rectify errors in the voters’ lists. He cautioned that failure to correct these discrepancies would compel the Opposition to consider opposing the holding of local body elections altogether. His remarks reflect growing dissatisfaction among several political parties in Maharashtra, who have accused the EC of irregularities related to voter lists and alleged inaction against violations by ruling party leaders. These allegations have intensified the political discourse in the state as elections approach.
The “Nirdhar Melava” rally was also the setting for Shiv Sena (UBT) to hold its first meeting with office bearers following discussions with the EC and its allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition. The meeting was used to elaborate on the party’s claims of vote theft and voter list irregularities, highlighting what they see as systematic manipulation. Uddhav Thackeray went as far as to give a controversial directive, reportedly giving party workers a free hand to take action against those detected as bogus voters, a statement that underscores the party’s heightened vigilance and aggressive stance.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, Aaditya Thackeray, a prominent Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, also spoke at the rally, presenting detailed statistics to back the party’s claims of voter list anomalies. He urged party office bearers to remain alert and vigilant against what he termed “vote theft,” equating it to “election theft.” Aaditya stressed that the integrity of the electoral process is at stake and accused political opponents of undermining the democratic process by manipulating voter data.
Aaditya Thackeray illustrated his points by referencing his own constituency, Worli, where he pointed out discrepancies in the voter rolls. He noted that the number of voters increased from 252,970 during the Lok Sabha elections to 263,352 in the subsequent assembly elections—a rise that he described as suspicious. According to him, over 19,000 electoral roll anomalies were found, including cases where voters had nearly identical names, mismatches in gender identification, and incomplete or nonsensical addresses such as “Zo Zo Zo.” He also cited examples where dozens of voters were registered at the same room, and some voter ID cards lacked photographs. While these figures were specific to Worli, Aaditya claimed that such irregularities are widespread across Mumbai, affecting “lakhs” of voters.
The rally also turned into a forum for political criticism against national leaders. Uddhav Thackeray criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of treating Mumbai as a commodity for political and economic gain. Thackeray metaphorically described Shah as an “anaconda” intent on swallowing the city, a reference to recent events such as the BJP’s office foundation ceremony (Bhumipujan) attended by Amit Shah. This rhetoric reflects the deep political rivalry and the high stakes involved in Maharashtra’s local elections.
Moreover, Uddhav Thackeray took a direct swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, condemning his labeling of opposition supporters as “urban naxals.” Thackeray countered these remarks by calling Shinde a “terrorist” who is allegedly involved in accepting bribes from contractors under the guise of development projects. Such accusations heighten the already tense political atmosphere in Maharashtra, emphasizing the confrontational nature of state politics as the election season heats up.
The unfolding scenario in Maharashtra, as highlighted by the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, paints a picture of a deeply contested electoral environment marred by allegations of voter list discrepancies and political vendettas. The party’s resolve to legally challenge the Election Commission and its readiness to mobilize party workers to counter perceived electoral fraud indicate a potentially turbulent election process. The statements by Uddhav and Aaditya