Mumbai/ New Delhi Aug 10 (UNI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut today alleged that just as NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was approached by individuals claiming they could manipulate votes to ensure electoral victory, similar overtures were made to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray during both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Raut revealed that these individuals had prior knowledge of plans to tamper with voting machines and manipulate voter lists. He said that before the Assembly elections, two people had assured Pawar they could secure victory in 160 seats through vote alteration, but both Pawar and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi refrained not to entertain such offers. Raut added that he too received similar approaches.
“Before the Lok Sabha elections, these people met Uddhav Thackeray and promised to guarantee victory by manipulating voting machines. However, confident of our win, we refused. Ahead of the Assembly elections, they returned, warning us that the ruling party intended to tamper with machines and voter lists and predicted our defeat. We did not believe them at the time,” Raut said.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said, "We trusted the Election Commission and the system. But now, with Sharad Pawar narrating a similar experience, it is unfortunately possible that what those people said had some truth."
His statements come after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also raised specific concerns about the alleged addition of lakhs of voters in Maharashtra just months before the 2024 state polls, claiming these votes helped the Mahayuti coalition come to power.
At a press conference on August 7, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were “choreographed” by the Election Commission to favour the BJP, which, he claimed, seemed “immune to anti-incumbency.”
Citing internal party analysis, Gandhi stated that Congress had expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but secured only nine.
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