Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has alleged that the BJP does ‘match-fixing’ in elections, referring to the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls. He announced a massive opposition march in Mumbai against the Election Commission on Nov 1 and said leaders will meet Maharashtra election officials.

Raut demanded punitive action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, including suspension, prosecution under MCOCA and impeachment in both Houses of Parliament. He alleged organised electoral fraud through the SIR process and called for fresh polls in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

Congress leaders joined the pressure. Former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance. K.C. Venugopal demanded the CEC’s removal, and the Maharashtra Congress announced state-wide protests on Sept 28.

The Election Commission has categorically denied the media report of internal dissent among its Commissioners that triggered the row. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis rebuffed the match-fixing claims as a refusal to accept electoral defeat. All vote-theft allegations remain unproven.

What happens next: the Nov 1 march and any Supreme Court response will decide whether the row escalates.