"EC is exploiting the opposition": Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey backs Raj Thackeray's allegations

Speaking to ANI, Dubey claimed that there is no transparency and alleged that the ECI is exploiting the opposition parties.

"Ever since the Haryana elections were held, these allegations have been levelled against the Election Commission... A big leader like Balasaheb Thorat would not have lost by so many thousand votes... All the prominent leaders of our party and Maha Vikas Aghadi are demanding that if there is rigging, corruption, and irregularities in the voter list, then what is the point of the elections?... Be it Raj Thackeray or Uddhav Thackeray or senior Congress leaders, everyone is saying that the elections should be transparent... We allege that the Election Commission is exploiting the opposition parties..." the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asmi Azmi backed MNS Chief Raj Thackeray's allegations over 'fake voters', demanding revision of the voter list before holding the local body elections in Maharashtra.

"I welcome the statement of MNS chief Raj Thackeray...Those leaders whose vote bank exceeded the number of one lakh have lost the elections here. Many big leaders of the opposition lost the elections, and the BJP won," Azmi said.

"There is some discrepancy...The elections should be held after the names of fake voters are deleted," he added.

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray criticised the Election Commission ahead of the local body elections and claimed that 9.6 million fake voters had been added.

Addressing party workers ahead of local body elections on Sunday, MNS chief said, "Reliable information has just been received that 9.6 million fake voters have been added. This is an insult to the voters of Maharashtra and the country. All the group presidents (group presidents), branch presidents, and election list heads should go door to door and count the votes. I'm asking the Election Commission not to hold elections in Maharashtra until this is clean." (ANI)