Bypoll results 2018: Shiv Sena flays BJP, questions EC's fairness

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray hit out the BJP after the results of the 15 Lok Sabha and assembly seats were announced on Thursday.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray hit out the Election Commission and questioned its neutrality after BJP's Rajendra Gavit was declared a winner in the Palghar Lok Sabha seat defeating its candidate Shrinivas Wanaga on Thursday.

''Seeing the corruption in Election Commission, I would suggest that even election commissioners should not be appointed, but elected,'' Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief, said.''

Seeing the corruption in Election Commission, I would suggest that even election commissioners should not be appointed, but elected: Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena Chief pic.twitter.com/sESdPpjBx4 — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2018

He also alleged gross irregularities in vote counting in Palghar and demanded the poll panel to hold the results.

''If needed, we will go to court. But, whatever I have said about our democracy, election process and the threat to it, was very serious,'' Thackeray said.

However, Shiv Sena's demand to not announce Palghar bypoll result was rejected by Election Commission, according to ANI.

''The winning certificate has been given to the BJP candidate, Rajendra Gavit by Palghar collector,'' an election commission official was quoted saying by ANI.

Shiv Sena chief also slammed the BJP after the saffron party badly lost in the 15 Lok Sabha and assembly seats, the results of which were announced on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Uddhav Thackeray said, ''BJP's vote percentage is constantly falling. The party has insulted people of Maharashtra and 60% people have rejected them in Palghar.''

He also attacked UP Chief Minister and BJP poster boy Yogi Adityanath, who had extensively campaigned in Maharashtra, for insulting Maratha icon Shivaji Maharaj.

''Yogi Adityanath is losing in his own state and he is coming to campaign here (Maharashtra). Janata ne Yogi ji ki masti utaardi hai,'' Uddhav Thackeray said.

Yogi Adityanath is losing in his own state & he is coming to campaign here (Maharashtra). Janta ne Yogi ji ki masti utaardi hai: Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena Chief pic.twitter.com/U5Gw2KBPgg — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2018

His remarks came after BJP retained another Lok Sabha seat from Maharashtra, Palghar, where it had faced a challenge from its own ally Shiv Sena but the Opposition could not pose a united fight.

BJP's Rajendra Gavit won the seat, defeating Shiv Sena's Shrinivas Wanaga by 29574 votes.

The fourth Lok Sabha seat, Nagaland, for which bypoll was held earlier this week appeared to be going in favour of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), a BJP ally in the north-eastern state.

Shiv Sena, the estranged NDA ally of BJP, has been very vocal of the Narendra Modi government's policies and functioning. It has already severed its ties with the saffron party in Maharashtra and announced to contest all upcoming elections alone.