Maharashtra Elections 2024: The Maharashtra Assembly elections are getting interesting day by day. While the opposition claims that the BJP is trying to polarize the polls by raising slogans of “Batenge to katenge”, the saffron party is now claiming that NGOs are conducting “vote jihad” on behalf of the opposition. Zee News TV obtained a leaflet from the “Maratha Muslim Sewa Sangh”, a group said to consist of around 400 NGOs that is allegedly trying to polarize Muslim votes against the BJP in the guise of creating voter awareness.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kirit Somaiya said hundreds of NGOs were promoting “vote jihad” not just this election but even during the Lok Sabha elections. “This plan has been going on for 12 months. It is a well-planned conspiracy. I visited several places during the Lok Sabha polls and saw Muslim women polarized. I even published a book ‘Vote Jihad’ to Highlight these issues.
#breakingnews Maharashtra grand conspiracy exposed, 400 NGOs actively defeating the BJP, anti-BJP atmosphere in the name of raising awareness #Maharashtra #2024 Congressional Elections #NGO @Chandans_live @pratyushkkhare pic.twitter.com/2VIvKcrPD3— Zee News (@ZeeNews) November 8, 2024
He further questioned the funding sources of these NGOs, claiming many were only weeks or months old. “I have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission in this regard. This is an attempt to stir up religious sentiments among the people,” Somaiya said.
Notably, the leaflet contains several questions asking Muslim voters whether they would vote for a party that wants to close religious schools, interfere with Sharia law, or impose a Uniform Civil Code on Muslims. The leaflet also urged Muslims to vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi, an alliance of Congress, NCP-Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena-UBT.
Voting for 288 Legislative Assembly seats will be held in phases on November 20, and counting will take place on November 23.
