BJP files complaint with EC against Uddhav Thackeray's press conference

The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP on Monday wrote to the Election Commission of India alleging that Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray violated the model code of conduct by holding a press conference here even as voting for the fifth phase of the India general elections 2024 was underway in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra reported news agency PTIThackeray spoke to reporters about 5 pm alleging that the polling process was facing delays at several places in Mumbai and the Election Commission was doing this deliberately at the behest of the Narendra Modi government Voting was slow especially in the areas where the opposition was strong he claimedMumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar stated in his letter to the ECI that Thackerays press conference was in violation of the model code of conduct as voting was taking place all over Mumbai when he spoke reported PTIThackeray made baseless allegations against PM Modi and tried to mislead the electorate into believing that the government or the ruling party was influencing the ECI Shelar said reported PTISuch statements are blatantly false mischievous and defamatory in nature he added reported PTIShiv Sena UBT president Uddhav Thackeray alleged on Monday afternoon that voting was delayed at several places in Mumbai and the Election Commission of India was doing this deliberately at the behest of the Narendra Modi governmentDelay was taking place at the polling booths in areas where his party expects more votes he said at a press conference here while urging electors to stand in queues as long as early morning if the process was slowDirty games are being played through the Election Commission There is a lot of enthusiasm among voters but the Election Commission is acting in a partisan manner There is a delay by ECs representatives in certain areas Thackeray allegedOfficials were crosschecking names several times and women and senior citizens were facing problems at polling booths the former Maharashtra chief minister saidThere was no drinking water at many places he claimedThe Modi government is using the EC as its handmaiden due to its fear of losing This is a ploy of the Modi government to ensure that voting against it is minimized Thackeray allegedMumbai recorded a turnout of 5227 percent lower than that in 2019 in the India general elections 2024 on Monday amid sultry weather and complaints of delays in the polling processThe constituency of Mumbai South home to industrialists as well as highranking government officials fared the worst with 477 percent votingIn 2019 the polling percentage across the six Lok Sabha constituencies in the city was 5538 per centMumbai North constituency witnessed 5521 percent polling on Monday Mumbai North Central 5142 percent Mumbai North East 5375 percent Mumbai North West 5367 percent Mumbai South 4770 percent and Mumbai South Central 5188 percent as per the Election Commissions dataWith inputs from PTI