VETERAN social crusader, Dr Babasaheb Pandurang Adhav (96), alias Baba Adhav broke his 3-day long hunger strike to oppose EVMs after a galaxy of political leaders including Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray plus others met him here on Saturday evening. The weary-looking Dr Baba Adhav, a medico-cum-labour leader, received NCP(SP) President Sharad Pawar, his State President Jayant R. Patil, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, party MP Sanjay Raut, and later Nationalist Congress Party President Ajit Pawar also dropped in at the agitation venue. Around 5 pm, Dr Baba Adhav bowed to appeals from his supporters and accepted a glass of water offered by Thackeray, symbolising the end of his hunger agitation amidst claps and cheers.

 

“There have been huge discrepancies in the voter turnout figures declared by the ECI, kept changing, the vote-counting processes were allegedly manipulated to give undue advantage to the outgoing MahaYuti, and related aspects. The verdict is an assault on democracy,” said Dr Baba Adhav earlier, speaking to the media. Asserting that the people have a right to know where their votes have actually gone, the frail, but firm, nonagenarian pointed out how the MahaYuti regime doled out cash to women (‘Ladki Bahin’) scheme just before the elections and undermined the State’s delicate financial condition, as Sharad Pawar, 83, nodded in agreement. “The Government wants a democracy that gives it a monopoly without any Opposition (party). Therefore it is the duty and responsibility of all citizens to thwart this, and take a firm stance,” urged Dr Baba Adhav. Ajit Pawar requested Adhav to call off his protest against alleged misuse of EVMs in the recent State polls, saying that the verdict should be accepted. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar claimed the misuse of power and money to control the entire election mechanism, which was never before seen in any State Assembly or national polls, was witnessed in Maharashtra. Speaking on the occasion, Thackeray said that “not only the losers like us (Maha Vikas Aghadi), but even the winners (MahaYuti) leaders are coming here”.

 

“Nobody, neither the winners nor the losers believe in the outcome of the State Assembly elections. We are stunned over how we lost, they are shocked at how they won. The reason is clear. ‘Satyameve Jayate’ was killed, but now you (Dr Baba Adha) have revived it and we are fully with you,” said Thackeray. The Shiv Sena (UBT) President said this agitation was like a spark but it would ignite into a huge blaze, and lauded Dr Baba Adhav for carrying out the agitation at his advanced age and “inspiring all of us” to continue the fight. “We have also seen and heard how money power was brutally used in the polls… All have watched the videos of (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Vinod Tawde (in Palghar, on November 19). We have seen the shower of schemes. But what the MahaYuti did was to give anaesthesia to all its projects to complete its ‘power operation’ quickly,” said Thackeray without mincing words. He also called upon the top leaders of the MVA parties NCP (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress to follow in Dr Baba Adhav’s footsteps, and carry forward the fight against EVMs, even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) invited a Congress delegation to discuss its grievances (December 3) on the state poll outcome. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief rued how the information on elections is not available under RTI, how people’s rights are being flouted, while the EVM-VVPAT receipt is visible, counting of the same is not allowed, thus preventing the people and candidates from knowing whether their vote got registered properly or not, leading to many doubts. Taking potshots at the MahaYuti for the huge delay in Government formation, Thackeray said that after getting a brute majority, “instead of going to Raj Bhavan (for the oath), the caretaker CM has gone to his farmland,” and wondered what had gone wrong. “When the MVA government was due to be formed (in November 2019), the President’s rule was imposed… Now, (2024), the term of the legislature has expired, so why is the same not being done now? No one will answer these questions…There is complete uncertainty on the new regime, who could be the CM, ministers, portfolios, etc,” said Thackeray. 

THE Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday responded to Congress’ complaints and ‘urgent memorandum’ on Maharashtra Assembly elections and also addressed its demand for ‘in-person meet’ with the poll body. Rejecting its claims of ‘grave inconsistencies and sudden spike’ in the polling percentage after 5 pm on voting day, the poll body said that the figures of voter turnout were continuously updated on the Voter Turnout App. The EC also conveyed its readiness for a detailed reply on the ‘red-flagged’ issues at the earliest possible time and also invited the Congress delegation to present its case on December 3 at 5 pm. “After suitably hearing you further in-person, the Commission will convey its detailed reply to the issues raised in your letter at the earliest possible time,” it said in a statement. It also said that the issue of the gap between polling percentage (released by EC) by 5 pm and the closing of polling percentage and the reasons behind it have been shared earlier also with the Congress party in particular. Notably, the grand old party submitted a 12-page memorandum before the Election Commission on Friday, raising red flags over ‘discrepancy and inconsistencies’ in Maharashtra Assembly polls. It also cited similar ‘doubts and suspicion’ raised by former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi. It claimed that there was a systemic effort to try and reduce the number of voters (and votes) ‘sympathetic to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Cong-SS-NCP-SP) alliance’. “It is significant to note that out of the 50 Assembly seats, where there was an average increase of 50,000 voters, the ruling regime and its allies secured victory from 47...” the Congress said. Its second point of concern was the surge in polling percentage from 5 pm to 11.30 pm, suggesting it as the apparent reason behind electoral reverses for MVA. “EC’s average voter turnout at 5 pm was 58.22 per cent and that this jumped to 65.02 per cent by 11.30 pm, this shows discrepancies in voter turnout data,” the INC had said in its complaint.