Aditya Thackeray Meets Rahul Gandhi, Kejriwal in Delhi, what was the focus of talks?

During his visit to Delhi on Thursday, Aditya Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), engaged in separate discussions with Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal. He met Gandhi late on Wednesday and called on Kejriwal on Thursday.

Aditya Thackeray emphasized the need for the opposition to strategize for upcoming elections. Thackeray expressed concerns over the fairness and impartiality of elections in India. He said polls are no longer conducted fairly.

He praised Kejriwal's decade of work. The public is aware of his contributions. Thackeray said while accusing the BJP of benefiting from the Election Commission's favoritism. He claimed that there were instances of vote suppression in various areas of Delhi, which he believes has undermined the democratic right to vote.

“Is there any difference between the BJP and the Election Commission (EC)?… I don’t even know where my vote goes. There needs to be more clarity on EVMs (electronic voting machines) and VVPATs (voter-verifiable paper audit trail),” Aditya Thackeray said.

After calling on Kejriwal, Aditya Thackeray described the meeting as a gesture of friendship.

Thackeray alleged that the Election Commission has engaged in widespread manipulation of voter lists across multiple states, including Maharashtra, Haryana, Odisha, and Delhi. He slammed the Commission for not being open to discussing these issues and announced that the opposition would formally address these concerns. He underscored the importance of free and fair elections for the nation's future.

In a show of solidarity, Thackeray said that relationships among political leaders endure despite changing governments. The meeting, which included Shiv Sena (UBT) members Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, focused on the assembly elections in Delhi and the future of the opposition coalition known as the INDIA Block.

Thackeray raised alarm about the current state of democracy, suggesting that what has transpired with Kejriwal and Congress could similarly affect leaders like Nitish Kumar, RJD, and Chandrababu Naidu in the future. He concluded by stating that there is no singular leader within the INDIA alliance; rather, it is a collective leadership aimed at securing the country's future, devoid of personal ego or benefit.

(Prakash Kumar Pandey)