Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has demanded that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections be conducted with ballot papers instead of EVMs.

"If the BJP is confident, then it should conduct 2019 elections with ballot paper in a free and fair atmosphere and shut the mouth of the opposition which raises the issue of [EVM tampering] every time," said Thackeray.

Uddhav Thackeray was speaking to the media at his party headquarters in Mumbai. He requested the new Karnataka government to give justice to Marathi-speaking people staying in border areas between Karnataka and Maharashtra. He congratulated the BJP winners in the assembly elections.

On the day of Karnataka assembly election results, Thackeray called an urgent meeting of Shiv Sena leaders to discuss the upcoming Lok Sabha bypolls in Palghar in Maharashtra. The bypolls will see the Shiv Sena contesting against the BJP

Udhhav taunted the BJP on its recent bypolls defeats in Uttar Pradesh. He was confident of winning the Palghar bypolls.

Continuing his attack on the BJP, Thackeray suggested that although the BJP may add more states to its kitty, people from states which already have BJP in power may face a certain disillusionment with the party.

Upcoming by-polls in Palghar has become a matter of prestige for both the BJP and Shiv Sena. Both the parties are confident of a victory in Palghar. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar echoed this sentiment and predicted a win for the BJP