Maha oppn members not to take oath on Day 1 of assembly session to protest EVM 'misuse'

Mumbai: On the first day of the special three-day session of the Maharashtra legislature, members of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) chose on Saturday not to take the oath of office as MLAs, citing the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines in the state elections that were just held. 

According to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, the opposition is also demonstrating against the curfew and arrests in Markadwadi village in the Malshiras assembly constituency of Solapur, where residents used balloting papers to demand a "repoll.”

The special session of the Lower House of the state legislature began here at 11 am. Several members belonging to the ruling parties, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, took oath as MLAs, PTI reported.

However, members from the opposition parties - Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) - decided not to take the oath.

Talking to reporters on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan, Thackeray said, "The MVA has decided not to take oath as members of the House today. When a government comes to power with such a thumping majority, there are celebrations." A question arises whether the mandate it received was given by the people or the EVM and Election Commission of India, Thackeray alleged.

"We are not taking oath, taking into cognisance the doubts in the minds of people," he added.

On Makarwadi, Thackeray said the mock poll on the ballot paper was by victorious MLA Uttam Jankar of the NCP (SP).

Senior NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad questioned the role of the Election Commission and police if the villagers want to use ballot papers in mock polls.

Awhad said NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar will visit Makarwadi on Sunday and Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, will also pay a visit to the village later.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said despite the BJP alliance forming the government, the public sentiment is that it does not reflect their votes.

"It is not a government of the people's mandate. The sentiment of the people in Markadwadi mirrors that of the majority in the state. Respecting public opinion, members of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have decided not to take oath today," Patole said.