Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Tuesday made serious allegations against the BJP, claiming that despite the party and its allies securing a clear mandate from the people, the delay in appointing the chief minister signalled its priorities.

According to Patole, the BJP is not concerned about the people of Maharashtra, but instead is looking to install a chief minister who will blindly sign off on documents linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s favoured industrialist friends. He suggested that this was the reason for the delay in finalising the CM.

Patole made these comments after meeting with Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi. Along with Patole, newly elected MP from Nanded, Prof Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, and other Congress MPs from Maharashtra were also present at the meeting.

Speaking to the media, Patole said, “We informed our party leaders about the results of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. The outcome was unexpected, but it is not accepted by the people. The public sentiment is different, and the Congress party has always respected these sentiments.”

“There are growing concerns about the integrity of the EVMs, with voters claiming that their votes are being redirected to other parties. The Supreme Court should investigate this issue, and in light of these allegations, a public movement against the EVMs should be initiated,” he said.

Patole's remarks have intensified the political debate in Maharashtra, with accusations of electoral malpractice and concerns about the transparency of the election process taking center stage.