Maharashtra Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala has asserted that while Mumbai is a melting pot where people from all parts of India—including the South and North—live peacefully, the Congress party strongly stands with the sentiments and identity of the Marathi-speaking population.
Speaking to the media, Chennithala addressed the ongoing Marathi-Hindi language debate and recent controversial remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. He emphasized that there is no significant issue of linguistic or regional conflict in Mumbai, but the Congress respects and supports the pride and cultural identity of Marathi people.
When asked about the recent political rapprochement between Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, Chennithala clarified, “There has been no discussion yet regarding Raj Thackeray’s inclusion in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).”
Chennithala also raised serious concerns about electoral transparency. Referring to the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, he questioned the sudden increase of 7.5 million votes, echoing the concerns raised by Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
“The Election Commission appears to be functioning in favor of the BJP,” Chennithala alleged, claiming that the ruling party has been using manipulative tactics to secure victories. He added that similar issues are now surfacing in Bihar, where discrepancies regarding 20 million voters have emerged due to the Commission’s rigid and questionable stance.
Calling the Election Commission's conduct suspicious, Chennithala said,
“There must be transparency in the electoral process, but the current actions of the Commission raise doubts. We will take legal action and approach the judiciary if necessary.”
Chennithala’s remarks reflect the Congress party’s dual focus on safeguarding regional identities like Marathi pride while also raising alarms about electoral fairness under the current regime.
