Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS flag flaws in electoral rolls ahead of BMC polls

Mumbai, Dec 15 (PTI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Monday questioned the logic behind holding elections to 29 civic bodies without correcting "irregularities" in the voters' roll.

Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the final rolls have not been released yet. "If there are mistakes in the final rolls, who will address them?" he asked.

Polls for 29 municipal corporations, including the cash-rich Mumbai, will be held on January 15, and votes will be counted on January 16.

Former Mumbai mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishori Pednekar alleged flaws in the voters' list.

"People have not been told whether the electoral rolls have been rectified. How appropriate is it to announce polls when no correction has been made in the electoral rolls?" she asked.

MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said polls are being held with faulty electoral rolls.

"Raj (Thackeray) Saheb has told us about the treatment bogus voters deserved. Mumbai's mayor will be a Marathi manoos, and they (Marathi people) will vote in BMC polls with the same intention," Deshpande said.

The opposition, especially cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, have been very critical of the electoral rolls and claimed several irregularities in the voters’ list.

The upcoming elections will be a crucial political showdown between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in major urban centres, a year after the assembly polls.

This will also be a do-or-die battle for the Thackeray cousins and test the utility of 'Brand Thackeray', which took a massive beating in the assembly polls.

Ahead of the polls, Uddhav Thackeray mended ties with his once-estranged cousin Raj and both Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS are expected to join hands to put up a united fight. PTI PR NSK