Thackeray brothers' anti-EC mega march unites Maha Vikas Aghadi, reshapes Maharashtra politics
Mumbai, Oct 4 (UNI) In a major political development that has sent ripples through Maharashtra's political landscape, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray spearheaded a massive joint protest march in Mumbai on Sunday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the controversial handling of electoral rolls.
Surpassing expectations, the historic demonstration witnessed key leaders from the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) setting aside past differences to share a single platform with the Thackeray-led parties. Senior Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, including Congress heavyweights Balasaheb Thorat and Vijay Wadettiwar, alongside NCP (SP) State President Jayant Patil, actively participated in the march and occupied prominent seats on the dais.
Demonstrating a collective political will, the participating parties consciously sidelined party symbols, choosing instead to flood the streets with the Indian National Flag (Tricolour) to project the agitation as an apolitical crusade for public rights. Despite past ideological and regional controversies-particularly surrounding MNS chief Raj Thackeray's earlier political stances-the Congress and NCP stepped forward to back the call, signalling a powerful consolidation of anti-establishment forces in Maharashtra. Defending his presence alongside the MNS chief, senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat asserted that the march transcends individual party lines, framing it as a vital cry to safeguard the Constitution and rescue Indian democracy.
The joint front has intensified pressure on CEC Gyanesh Kumar, demanding accountability over alleged systemic electoral manipulation and the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. To keep the focus strictly anchored on democratic integrity, organisers mandated that no political party flags be displayed, ensuring the protest was defined purely by a unified display of national identity.
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