"Double standard Politics": Shiv Sena's Uday Samant after Oppn MLAs agree to take oath

Mumbai: After opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) boycotted their oath of office yesterday alleging misuse of electronic voting machines, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Sunday lashed out at them saying it revealed their "double standard politics".
Samant stated that because of this behaviour by the opposition alliance, the people of Maharashtra have given the mandate to the Mahayuti alliance.
Speaking to ANI, Samant said, "Not taking oath (as MLAs) yesterday and taking oath today is double standard politics. People of Maharashtra know this and that is why the voters of the state gave a mandate to Mahayuti."
On Saturday, during the ongoing special session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly a total of 173 newly elected MLAs took oath before the House was adjourned but the remaining 115 MLAs, largely from the opposition did not do so.
However, Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs Abu Azmi and Raees Sheikh took their oath of office, despite opposition from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray had announced that the party's winning MLAs will not take the oath of office on Saturday
Thackeray had raised doubts about the legitimacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
"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 EVM," Aaditya Thackeray said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar hit back at Shiv Sena UBT Aaditya Thackeray's allegations questioning the legitimacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), stating that the opposition should approach the Election Commission or the courts if they have concerns.
"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," said Deputy CM Pawar.
Further, reacting to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's reported statement about her "willing to lead INDIA alliance," Uday Samant said, "This is an insult to Congress party. This proves that the Congress leadership is not good enough, not capable enough to lead. Sharad Pawar himself has cleared this."
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday acknowledged the leadership potential of West Bengal Chief Minister Banerjee, emphasising her prominence as a national leader and the competence of her party's representatives in Parliament.
Pawar expressed his support, stating, "Yes, certainly (she is capable of leading the alliance). She is a prominent leader of this nation... she has that capability. The elected leaders she sent to Parliament are responsible, dutiful, and well-aware people. Therefore, she has the right to say so."