INDIA Bloc Gears Up: Uddhav Thackeray Demands Paper Ballots, Calls Strategy Meet Before Crucial Bihar and Maharashtra Civic Polls
Ahead of civic polls in Maharashtra and Bihar, Uddhav Thackeray urges INDIA Bloc partners to hold a joint strategy session and calls for replacing EVMs with paper ballots to restore voter trust.
NewsSutra
In a politically charged move that could redefine the opposition’s election playbook, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has called for a comprehensive INDIA Bloc strategy session ahead of the upcoming civic elections in Maharashtra and Bihar. Signaling renewed anxiety over electoral transparency, Thackeray is also reviving the long-standing demand for a return to paper ballots, questioning the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
This development has added fresh momentum—and friction—within the opposition alliance as it braces for a string of local body polls that are widely seen as a litmus test before the 2026 General Elections. Thackeray’s statement underscores the INDIA Bloc’s internal push for cohesion, voter trust, and tactical unity amid growing concerns over electoral manipulation and administrative interference.
A Call for Cohesion and Clarity
At the heart of Thackeray’s intervention is a plea for unity and proactive planning. “We must not wait for another defeat to question the process. If we truly want to protect democracy, the INDIA alliance must act now, not after the votes are counted,” said Thackeray during a press briefing in Mumbai on Thursday.
He stressed that civic polls in states like Maharashtra and Bihar are not just local skirmishes—they are strategic indicators of grassroots support. "Municipal elections build the base. If we can organize and win here, the Lok Sabha fight becomes a people’s movement, not just an alliance on paper," he said.
Thackeray has reportedly reached out to Congress, RJD, SP, NCP (Sharad Pawar), AAP, and Left parties, urging them to send their top campaign strategists and electoral data experts to the session, which is expected to be held in Mumbai by the end of July.
Paper Ballots vs. EVMs: Renewing a Critical Debate
Perhaps the most pointed and controversial element of Thackeray’s speech was his sharp critique of EVMs, which he described as “opaque” and “unaccountable.” Citing multiple irregularities reported by party workers and polling agents in past state elections, he reiterated a long-standing opposition demand to replace EVMs with verifiable paper ballots.
“This isn’t about conspiracy theories. This is about credibility. Even the most advanced democracies have returned to paper ballots. Why should India shy away from transparency?” he questioned.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has repeatedly defended the integrity of EVMs, stating that the machines are tamper-proof and are backed by Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). However, critics argue that VVPAT sampling remains inadequate, and that trust in the process has eroded—particularly in high-stakes urban centers where turnout variation and vote shifts have been statistically unusual.
Thackeray’s statement echoes concerns raised earlier by senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and Sharad Pawar, all of whom have called for greater transparency and accountability in vote counting mechanisms.
Bihar and Maharashtra: Two Fronts, One War
The Maharashtra civic elections are set to take place across Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, and several other urban local bodies. These elections carry significant symbolic weight, especially for Uddhav Thackeray’s faction, which lost control of the state government in 2022 following a dramatic political split led by Eknath Shinde and the BJP.
Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) is keen to regain lost ground and restore its hold on urban Marathi voters, many of whom remain undecided in a post-split scenario. “If we lose Mumbai, we lose the moral ground to speak for Maharashtra,” a party insider said.
In Bihar, the Patna Municipal Corporation and other district councils are also going to polls in the coming months. Here, Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD, in alliance with the Congress and Left, hopes to solidify its standing after being pushed to the opposition bench following Nitish Kumar’s latest political realignment with the BJP.
While the issues in both states differ, the shared INDIA Bloc campaign narrative will likely revolve around constitutional values, grassroots democracy, youth unemployment, inflation, and social justice.
INDIA Bloc’s Challenges: Unity and Execution
Despite the symbolic strength of the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) coalition, the alliance faces critical internal challenges—chief among them being coordination, leadership, and ideological coherence.
The last national elections exposed the limitations of opposition unity, especially in states where seat-sharing could not be agreed upon. With civic elections approaching, the INDIA Bloc will need to act fast to finalize constituency-level agreements, co-brand campaigns, and joint manifestos tailored for local issues.
Sources indicate that Uddhav Thackeray's upcoming session will attempt to set up an inter-party task force for real-time strategy sharing and campaign management, much like the war room models used by BJP in its high-stakes election battles.
Voter Trust as the Real Battleground
Underlying Thackeray’s paper ballot demand is a broader issue—distrust in democratic institutions. In recent years, there has been a growing perception that electoral processes are not entirely immune from bias, manipulation, or operational lapses. From voter deletions to booth-level disruptions, complaints have mounted across party lines.
Surveys conducted by several independent watchdogs have indicated that voter trust in EVMs has decreased by 12–15% over the last three election cycles, particularly among urban and first-time voters.
Restoring faith in the democratic process, according to Thackeray, will require more than just rhetoric. It demands structural reform. “Let’s give people the power to believe again. That begins with a piece of paper, not a blinking machine,” he remarked.
The BJP’s Response
In response to Thackeray’s remarks, BJP leaders were quick to accuse him of fear-mongering. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the demand for paper ballots as a “desperate tactic from parties fearing electoral loss.”
“EVMs are used across the country. When they win, the machines work. When they lose, it’s the machines’ fault? This hypocrisy won’t fool the public,” he said during a press meet.
BJP insiders, however, admit that the urban civic elections could be more difficult than expected, especially with anti-incumbency sentiments brewing around civic issues like potholes, garbage management, water supply, and public transport in cities like Mumbai and Pune.
What Comes Next?
The INDIA Bloc now stands at a crucial inflection point. With multiple state and civic elections due before the 2026 General Election, how it handles these early contests may define its future relevance.
If Uddhav Thackeray’s call for coordination, transparency, and strategy resonates within the alliance, it could galvanize a truly pan-India counter-narrative. But if internal divisions persist and the ballot vs. EVM debate overshadows on-the-ground mobilization, the BJP’s well-oiled election machinery may once again cruise to dominance.
Ultimately, the civic polls in Maharashtra and Bihar will serve as trial by fire—not just for the INDIA Bloc, but for Indian democracy itself. Whether it is through a touchscreen or a ballot slip, the battle for Bharat’s future has already begun.
