After criticism, Raj, Uddhav invite all opposition parties to join anti-EC protest
Thackeray cousins broaden outreach for October 4 election commission protest
Bharatmorningnews.com – Mumbai’s opposition politics is set for another major public mobilisation on October 4, with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray inviting other parties to participate in a march focused on the Election Commission and concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
The two leaders had initially announced the demonstration without a wider consultation with opposition allies, drawing criticism from within the broader opposition camp. They have now opened communication with the Congress and other constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in an effort to make the protest more inclusive.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Raj Thackeray had also spoken with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He described the conversations as part of a wider effort among opposition parties to coordinate over electoral issues.
“All opposition parties are talking to one another on this issue,” Raut said.
March planned from Byculla to BMC headquarters
The October 4 morcha is scheduled to begin in Byculla and proceed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters near Azad Maidan. Raj Thackeray announced the route during a joint press conference with Uddhav Thackeray at his residence.
The event followed the Thackeray cousins’ declaration of support for the Cockroach Janata Party agitation at Shivaji Park on October 2. Their joint appearance added political significance to the proposed march, particularly as both leaders have raised concerns about the Election Commission and electronic voting machines over a long period.
Raj Thackeray stressed that the rally was not being organised against a particular political party. Instead, he presented it as a protest directed at the Election Commission and said parties from across the opposition spectrum were welcome to take part.
“This is not a morcha against any political party but against the EC, and any party can join us,” Raj Thackeray said.
He also asked participants not to bring party flags. Supporters have been instructed to carry the Indian tricolour, with the stated message that the protest concerns the protection of democratic institutions and processes.
Opposition seeks common platform
The outreach is important because the demonstration is being positioned beyond the immediate interests of either Shiv Sena (UBT) or the MNS. A joint opposition presence could turn the march into a broader expression of concern over the conduct of electoral processes, while also testing the ability of Maharashtra’s opposition groups to coordinate on issues outside routine election campaigns.
Uddhav Thackeray linked the planned mobilisation to support for groups that say they are working to protect democracy. He said Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS would stand with the pressure group, recalling their backing for its protest at Jantar Mantar.
“We are with all those who want to save democracy,” Uddhav Thackeray said.
At the same time, he made clear that support would not necessarily mean sharing every platform with every group involved. His comments suggested an effort to maintain the parties’ stated solidarity while preserving political distance where needed.
Raut escalated the criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling the planned action Mumbai’s first major spark against what he described as a corrupt CEC. The protest is tied to allegations of mishandling of the Special Intensive Revision exercise, although the Election Commission has become a broader focal point in the leaders’ criticism.
Government and BJP respond cautiously
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the right to protest is protected in a democracy and declined to launch an immediate attack on the organisers. However, he said those leading the agitation should understand the matters they were raising and assess whether the examples being cited were accurate.
“Everyone has a right to protest in a democracy,” Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis said the government would respond after the agitation had concluded. His remarks left space for the protest to proceed while signalling that the government would scrutinise its claims.
The BJP took a sharper line through spokesperson Navnath Ban, who argued that Shiv Sena (UBT) should examine the reasons behind its electoral setbacks before assigning responsibility to the Election Commission. Ban questioned how Gyanesh Kumar could be blamed for the party’s Maharashtra defeat when he was not Chief Election Commissioner at that time.
He also said organisational shortcomings at the booth level, including the management of booth-level heads and BLA-2 representatives, should be addressed by the party itself rather than attributed to the election authority.
The October 4 rally will therefore be watched not only as a protest over election administration but also as an indication of whether Maharashtra’s opposition parties can frame a shared political message. By removing party flags and calling for the national flag to be carried instead, the organisers are seeking to portray the march as a civic-democratic intervention rather than a narrowly partisan show of strength.
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