NCP-SCP leader Jitendra Awhad defended the opposition MLAs' boycott of the oath-taking ceremony in the legislative assembly, stating, "We chose not to attend the ceremony or take the oath to highlight a cause. The people of Markwadi demanded ballot paper polling for the assembly elections, but this request was ignored by the administration. Citizens have the right to choose how they want to cast their votes. Is it wrong to express political awareness?"
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"We did not attend the oath-taking ceremony of MLAs and we did not take the oath. It was for a cause, which was that the people of Markwadi wanted ballot paper polling for the assembly elections, and this demand was not accepted by the administration. People have the right to decide how they want to vote. Is it wrong to show your political awareness," said Jitendra Awhad.
On the first day of the special session of the Maharashtra Assembly on Saturday, MLAs from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) staged a walkout. The protest was sparked by allegations of electronic voting machine (EVM) manipulation in the recent elections. The MVA, a coalition of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), has voiced concerns over the EVMs following their significant defeat in the polls.