New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) After Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray blamed internal rifts and delayed seat-sharing decisions for the defeat of the INDIA Bloc in Maharashtra Assembly elections, Congress leader Udit Raj on Sunday downplayed his remarks and instead accused the Election Commission of failing to address concerns about voter manipulation.

“The real issue was farziwadi (fraud) – lakhs of bogus voters were added. Voting percentage surged mysteriously after 5 PM, but the EC has not responded,” said Congress leader Udit Raj.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had squarely blamed internal rifts, delayed seat-sharing decisions, and ego clashes among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners for the alliance’s poor performance in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, despite a strong show in the Lok Sabha polls held just months earlier.

In a candid interview to party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, Thackeray admitted that the alliance failed to maintain momentum after the Lok Sabha elections, accusing MVA constituents of putting individual interests above collective strategy.

“After the Lok Sabha polls, the MVA became a battleground for individual party interests. This led to confusion, weak messaging, and ultimately, defeat,” Thackeray told Saamana Executive Editor Sanjay Raut, who is a Rajya Sabha MP.

He added that the delay in finalising candidates and the absence of a coherent campaign strategy sowed doubt in the minds of voters, causing them to lose faith in the opposition alliance.

“When voters see allies pulling in different directions, it weakens their confidence. Our lack of unity gave the BJP an upper hand,” he said.

Thackeray’s remarks come at a crucial time, with the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on the horizon.

There is growing speculation that Shiv Sena (UBT) may go solo in the civic polls, opting not to align with the Congress.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders seized on Thackeray’s remarks. Party spokesperson RP Singh said, “Uddhav Thackeray has finally realised why they lost – Rahul Gandhi had no agenda, and the alliance had no direction. Now they blame EVMs and the Election Commission.”

With the INDIA Bloc facing internal strain and key partners like AAP walking away, Thackeray’s blunt assessment may deepen the cracks in the opposition ranks ahead of upcoming battles.

–IANS

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