Sanjay Raut demands Bharat Ratna for Balasaheb Thackeray, criticises Modi, Shah
Mumbai: On the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called for conferring him with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
"Balasaheb Thackeray should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. He established Shiv Sena and fought for the rights of Marathi people," Raut said on Thursday.
Raut criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after they paid homage to Thackeray on X (formerly Twitter). "Conferring the Bharat Ratna would be the true respect for Balasaheb. PM Modi and Amit Shah attempted to break Shiv Sena, and now they are tweeting to wish him on his birthday. This is hypocrisy," he remarked.
He also took a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accusing them of paying insincere tributes. "Shiv Sena was Balasaheb Thackeray's soul, and they attacked it for political gains," he added.
Praising Thackeray, Raut stated, "Leaders like Balasaheb Thackeray are born once in a lifetime. He transformed ordinary people into leaders without ever holding a position himself."
Earlier in the day, PM Modi, Amit Shah, and other prominent leaders paid homage to Thackeray. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected for his commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra’s development."
Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena party and was known for his advocacy for Maratha and Hindu causes.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
