Sanjay Raut rejects BMC election result as BJP takes lead, says figures 'inaccurate':
Sanjay Raut rejects BMC election result as BJP takes lead, says figures 'inaccurate': 'Polls could end in draw'
M.U.H
17/01/202617
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut rejected BMC election result as BJP takes lead, claiming that the numbers being circulated were misleading, further noting that counting had not yet begun in nearly 100 wards.
Raut acknowledged that the BJP may have performed strongly in other parts of Maharashtra, but he predicted that the current trends showing a setback for the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance would change, as counting is expected to continue until midnight.
“The time to react has not yet come. Given how the vote counting is progressing in Mumbai, the final results won't be available until midnight. The figures being released are inaccurate. Vote counting hasn't even started in approximately 100 wards yet... Although I will admit that it's a close contest. The competition is fierce. But it's not true that the Shiv Sena (UBT) is far behind, as some are claiming,” he said while speaking to reporters.
He added, "The figures you are seeing now will change... Our 60 corporators joined the Shinde faction. Almost all of them lost... Perhaps this match could end in a draw..."
According to television channel trends for 210 of the 227 seats in Mumbai, the BJP was leading in 90 seats, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena held the lead in 28 wards. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, contesting independently, was ahead in three wards.
Among the opposition, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and its ally, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, were leading in 57 and nine wards, respectively. The Congress, contesting in alliance with the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, was ahead in 15 wards, with other parties leading in eight.
Raut described the voting pattern in Mumbai as "a serious matter," claiming that the names of thousands of voters were missing from electoral rolls in areas where Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and Congress traditionally enjoy strong support.
"Names of thousands of people, who have even voted in the Assembly elections, are missing from the voter list. This is happening specifically in areas where Shiv Sena (UBT), MNS or Congress votes are prevalent," he alleged.
Raut further accused that EVMs were malfunctioning at multiple polling stations. "Where the vote button was pressed for NCP, the light turned on for BJP. The same happened with the flaming torch symbol of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the engine symbol of MNS," he said, mentioning that repeated complaints to the Election Commission have gone unheard.
The BJP contested 137 seats, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena put up candidates in 90 constituencies, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP contested separately on 94 seats. On the opposition side, the Shiv Sena (UBT) fielded 163 candidates, the MNS contested 52 seats, the Congress had 143 candidates, and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) contested 46 seats.
