The Election Commission of India put a full stop to the Sena's appeal for votes on the basis of religion by defranchising party, Bal Thackeray, for six years.

"Garva se Kahon Hum Hindu Hai" ... Hindustan Hinduon ka hai ... nahi kisi ke baap ka"., Thackeray had thundered, while campaigning for Ramesh Prabhu, the Sena's candidate during an Assembly by-election to the Vile Parle seat 12 years ago.

Though the election petition filed by the Congress candidate, Prabhakar Kunte, was disposed of in his favour by the Supreme Court in December 1995, the recommendation to defranchise Thackeray had been pending. Apart from Thackeray, other party leaders like Manohar Joshi, Dattaji Salvi, Madhukar Sarpotdar, Chhagan Bhujbal (who was then with the Sena) and Subhash Desai also brainwashed a jaded, but thirsting, electorate by projecting Sena as the sole guardian of the rights of Hindus.

On December 9, 1987, Thackeray had said during his speech which became the subject mater of Kunte's election petition: "Hinduism will triumph in the Assembly election and we must become honourable recipients of the victory to ward off the danger on "Hinduism ... elect Ramesh Prabhu to join Chhagan Bhujbal, who is already there. You will find Hindu temples underneath if all the mosques are dug out. Anyone who stands against the Hindus should be showered or worshipped with shoes. A candidate by name Prabhu should be led to victory in the name of religion".

On December 10, 1987, Thackeray repeated his appeal. He said: "we have come with the ideology of Hinduism. Shiv Sena will implement this ideology. Though the country belongs to the Hindus, Ram and Krishna are insulted. They valued the Muslim votes more than your votes ...

We do not want the Muslim votes. A snake like Sbahabuddin is sitting in the Janata Party, a man like Nihal Ahmad is also in the Janata Party. So the residents of Vile Parle should bury this Janata Party.

In his petition, Kunte had also pointed to leaflets circulated by Prabhu in the constituency. One of them read: "Think before you vote. Remember about the saviour of Hindu religion and Shri Shivaji ... remember his struggle with sword and shield (Prabhu's election symbol).

You are under oath of the saffron flag and the existence of Hindu religion". (Source: The Indian Express, 30 July, 1999)