Maha Vikas Aghadi MLAs Boycott Oath-Taking Ceremony In Maharashtra Assembly Amid EVM Allegations

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray announced on Saturday that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) MLAs will not attend the oath-taking ceremony of Maharashtra's newly elected assembly. This decision comes as a protest against the recent election results. The 288-member legislative assembly began its special three-day session on the same day, where members are expected to take their oaths.

Senior BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar was sworn in as a legislator on Friday and appointed as the pro-tem speaker by Governor C P Radhakrishnan. Kolambkar, who has served nine terms, represents Mumbai's Wadala constituency. As pro-tem speaker, he will oversee the oath-taking of the remaining 287 MLAs. The election for the assembly speaker is scheduled for December 9, followed by a trust vote for Devendra Fadnavis's government and an address by the governor to both houses of the state legislature.

Election Results and Political Reactions

The results of the November 20 assembly elections were announced on November 23. The Mahayuti alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), achieved a significant victory by securing 230 out of 288 seats. This outcome led to Devendra Fadnavis being sworn in again as chief minister on December 5, with Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar taking roles as deputy chief ministers.

Aaditya Thackeray expressed dissatisfaction with the election outcome, stating that their winning MLAs would abstain from taking their oaths. He remarked, "Today we have decided that our (Shiv Sena UBT) winning MLAs will not take oath. If this was the mandate of the people, people would have been happy and celebrated it, but people did not celebrate this victory anywhere. We have doubts about EVM," adding that "Democracy is being murdered."

The political landscape in Maharashtra remains tense following these developments. The MVA's decision to boycott highlights ongoing discontent with electoral processes and outcomes. As events unfold, attention turns to how these actions might influence future political dynamics within the state.