Last update:November 30, 2024, 9:29 p.m. IST

Thackeray made the remarks just hours before the BJP’s announcement that the inauguration ceremony of the new Mahayuti government will take place on December 5.

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray (PTI Image)

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday alleged that the government formation in Maharashtra was delayed because the ruling Mahayuti parties never thought that they would return to power.

Thackeray was speaking here hours before the BJP announced that the swearing-in of the new Mahayuti government would take place on December 5.

Sitting next to social activist Dr Baba Adhav, who staged a three-day protest here against the alleged misuse of electronic voting machines and money power in the November 20 national elections, Thackeray asked why he there were no celebrations after the party’s “monstrous” victory. Mahayuti coalition led by BJP.

Adhav, 95, ended his agitation by accepting a glass of water from Thackeray.

“When the Maha Vikas Aghadi was formed (after the 2019 elections), presidential rule was imposed. This time, no one claimed to form the government, and yet there is no presidential rule,” said Thackeray, former chief minister.

“They (Mahayuti allies) never thought that they would come back to power, so they had no planning on who would be the CM, council ministers. That is why government formation takes time” , Thackeray said.

It also demanded that all voter-verified paper verification slips (VVPAT) be counted. “Anyone can see that a vote has been cast. But how can we check how the vote was recorded,” he asked.

As many as 76 lakh votes were cast during the last hour of voting on November 20, which means that on an average 1,000 people cast their votes at each polling booth during this period, Thackeray said.

But the length of the queues at the polling booths does not reflect this, he said.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)

Location :

Maharashtra, India