Raj Thackeray Backs Rahul Gandhi on ‘Vote Chori’ Allegations, Says Electoral Fraud Ongoing Since 2016

Vote chori allegations have once again come into the spotlight, with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray extending his support to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims of election manipulation.

Addressing a meeting of MNS office bearers in Pune on Saturday, Thackeray said the issue of stolen votes is not new and that he has been raising concerns about electoral fraud since 2016–2017.

Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations

Earlier this month, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to “steal elections.” Gandhi alleged large-scale voter list manipulation and cited the Karnataka Mahadevapura assembly segment as an example, claiming that out of 6.5 lakh votes, over 1 lakh were fraudulent.

Thackeray echoed Gandhi’s concern and recalled how he had previously met Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi, and Mamata Banerjee to warn them about vote theft. According to him, he had even suggested boycotting elections back in 2017 to attract international attention, but the opposition failed to act.

“People are voting, but those votes are not reaching the candidates—they are being stolen,” Thackeray said, accusing successive governments of benefiting from manipulated results since 2014.

Call for Vigilance Ahead of Polls

The MNS chief urged his party workers to remain vigilant in the upcoming municipal elections and carefully verify voter lists to prevent fraudulent entries. He alleged that candidates in Maharashtra lost not due to lack of public support but because votes cast in their favor never reached them.

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ECI’s Response

The Election Commission of India (ECI), however, has dismissed the accusations and demanded proof. The poll body has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit an affidavit with evidence or withdraw his remarks and apologize to the people. Despite this, opposition leaders have continued their protests against the ECI.

Thackeray accused the Election Commission of deliberately avoiding an investigation into electoral roll discrepancies. “When both Rahul Gandhi and BJP leader Anurag Thakur have raised concerns about voter list fraud, the ECI should have conducted a probe. But it will never do so, as it fears exposing the vote theft of the last decade,” he said.

Uddhav Thackeray’s Attack on Mahayuti

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also weighed in on the issue. Speaking at an event of the Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Sena in Mumbai, he claimed that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance cannot win elections in Maharashtra if polls are conducted fairly.

“They cannot win if elections are held honestly, certainly not in Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi has exposed how they stole votes,” Uddhav Thackeray remarked.

He also criticized the Modi government and the BCCI for permitting India to play cricket against Pakistan in the Asia Cup despite rising tensions at the border. Referring to recent protests for animal rights, he questioned the absence of similar outrage when civilians and soldiers are killed in terror attacks.

With both Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray echoing concerns about electoral malpractice, the debate on ‘vote chori’ is intensifying ahead of key municipal and assembly elections. While the Election Commission continues to deny the allegations, opposition parties are making it a central issue, setting the stage for heated political battles in the months to come.