Barely hours after Mumbai voters dipped fingers in election ink, many found it mysteriously gone. MNS president Raj Thackeray pounced, labeling it ‘state-sponsored cheating’ in BMC’s crucial ward elections.
From Dadar to Dahisar, complaints poured in: housewives, workers, youth—all showing clean index fingers. Thackeray shared proof on his official channels, demanding recount halts and re-polling.
Election machinery defends the ink’s ‘temporary nature’ due to environmental factors, but Thackeray retorts, ‘Temporary fraud is still fraud.’ His party agents were ejected from several booths earlier, fueling suspicions.
BMC’s 2022 polls carry massive implications—control means billions in contracts, from roads to water supply. Thackeray positions MNS as guardian of local interests against ‘outsiders.’
Heavy police deployment now guards strong rooms. Analysts see Thackeray’s gambit as bid for relevance in fragmented politics.
Public outrage brews online, with #BMCInkScam trending. ECI’s swift response includes ink sample analysis, but trust deficit looms large.
As dawn breaks on counting day, Mumbai braces for volatility. This ink blot could stain more than fingers—threatening electoral sanctity in India’s megacity.