Uddhav and Raj Thackeray lead Mumbai march against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

A large march led by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS president Raj Thackeray is set to be held in Mumbai on Sunday. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being opposed across the country. Amid this, the Thackeray cousins have now taken on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) have openly backed the march.

The march is being held against the functioning of the Election Commission and the alleged arbitrary conduct of Gyanesh Kumar. The route was earlier fixed from Byculla to Azad Maidan, but the march will now begin at Metro Cinema.

According to the programme, citizens, workers and office-bearers will begin gathering from 10 am. The march will start at 11 am and reach the Mumbai Municipal Corporation building, after which it will be turned into a rally.

At a joint press conference of the Thackeray cousins, Raj Thackeray had also targeted the BJP over the Election Commission's functioning. He had asked why the BJP got a stomach ache whenever the Election Commission was criticised. It is therefore believed that, along with Gyanesh Kumar, the BJP too may be in the Thackerays' line of fire at the march.

A movement is under way across the country over SIR and alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls. Political circles are watching the Mumbai march closely, particularly the announcements the Thackeray cousins make against Gyanesh Kumar and the demands they put forward.

Meanwhile, Naresh Mhaske, speaking to the media, commented on the upcoming march by the Thackeray faction and the MNS against the Election Commission. Criticising Uddhav Thackeray, Mhaske said Uddhav Thackeray was working in Maharashtra under the leadership of Abhijit Dipke.