'Have Doubts About EVM': Aaditya Thackeray Says Uddhav Sena's MLAs Will Boycott Oath-Taking

Picture source: ANI

Days after the Mahayuti alliance formed the new Maharashtra government, Aaditya Thackeray made a bold claim. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said his party's winning MLAs would skip the oath-taking ceremony; he raised doubts over the legitimacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on Saturday. 

"Today we have decided that our (Shiv Sena UBT) winning MLAs will not take the oath. If this was the mandate of the people, people would have been happy and celebrated it. However, there was no such celebration or enthusiasm from the public. We have doubts about EVM," Aaditya Thackeray told ANI.

Thackeray, accompanied by party workers, paid tribute to Shivaji Maharaj at the Vidhan Bhavan complex. The Maharashtra Assembly is currently holding a three-day special session. 

#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray says, "We boycotted the oath-taking ceremony today as democracy is being murdered by the use of EVMs...This (the results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections) is not the mandate of the public it is the mandate of EVM and… pic.twitter.com/3dPx3gvvFM — ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2024

The newly formed Assembly began its three-day special session today, led by pro-tem Speaker Kalidas Kolambkar. During the session, MLAs will take their oaths, the Assembly Speaker will be elected, a trust vote for the new government will be held, and the Governor will deliver an address. 

Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant told ANI, "Today's priority is the oath-taking ceremony of 288 MLAs and holding the election of the speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly." 

He added, "After that, our three leaders—CM Fadnavis, and two Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar—will together decide when to conduct the cabinet expansion and which departments we will be assigned." 

Samant said, "Our leader is Eknath Shinde. We have given him the authority to make all political decisions, and all our MLAs will agree with whatever decision he takes."