In a sharp rebuttal to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's allegations about the legitimacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, Ajit Pawar, has urged the opposition to approach the Election Commission (EC) or the courts if they have concerns.

Speaking after his recent swearing-in as MLA, Ajit Pawar dismissed Thackeray's accusations as baseless. "There is no point in making such allegations here. They (the opposition) should go to the Election Commission, and if they do not get justice there, they should approach the court," he said, emphasizing that legal channels were the proper forum for such grievances.

This remark came after Aaditya Thackeray, in a public statement, voiced his party?s doubts over the credibility of the electoral process. Thackeray, while addressing the media, questioned the fairness of the EVMs and expressed disbelief at the lack of public celebration or enthusiasm following the recent election results. "Today we have decided that our (Shiv Sena UBT) winning MLAs will not take the oath. If this was the mandate of the people, people would have been happy and celebrated it. However, there was no such celebration or enthusiasm from the public. We have doubts about EVMs," Thackeray remarked.

Thackeray?s decision to have Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs refrain from taking the oath during the ongoing special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly stems from his skepticism about the integrity of the voting machines. However, Ajit Pawar?s comments underscored the view that any complaints regarding the legitimacy of EVMs should be addressed through proper constitutional and legal procedures rather than public allegations.

The war of words over EVMs has added fuel to the ongoing political tensions in Maharashtra, where parties continue to grapple with the aftermath of the recent state elections. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has been vocal in its criticism of the electoral process, while Ajit Pawar's government maintains that the results were legitimate and fair.

As the political drama unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the opposition will heed Pawar's call to approach the courts or Election Commission for redress, or if the dispute will continue to fuel the state?s already charged political atmosphere.