Amid controversy, EC checks bags of Maha CM Shinde, Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar

Amid the ongoing political row over a 'routine check' of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's luggage by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the bags and helicopter of Mahayuti leaders, including Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde were also checked on Wednesday as part of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's bags and helicopter were checked and he asserted "such measures are essential to ensure free and fair elections" and urged everyone to 'respect the law and support efforts to uphold the integrity of our democracy'.

"Today, while on my way for election campaigning, the Election Commission conducted a routine check of my bags and helicopter. I fully cooperated and believe that such measures are essential to ensure free and fair elections. Let us all respect the law and support efforts to uphold the integrity of our democracy," Ajit Pawar posted on X.

 

Earlier today, the bags of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was also checked by the poll officials at Palghar Police ground helipad as part of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Eknath Shinde arrived in Palghar for an Assembly election campaign where ECI officials, as a security precaution, checked CM's bags and helicopter after it landed.

Moreover, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis's bags were checked by the Election Commission team at the Katol assembly constituency after he landed at the helipad.

Ramdas Athawale's party, which is a BJP ally, also shared a video of the party chief's frisking video in Pune.

This development comes after Uddhav Thackeray expressed anger over the checking of his bags and asked whether the ECI officials checked the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar.

Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Supriya Sule also condemned the incident and called it "dirty politics."

Supriya Sule said Thackeray's bags were checked twice, while the bags of politicians in power were not checked like this.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that huge amounts of money are being distributed in Maharashtra by the top leaders of the Mahayuti alliance, yet the Election Commission of India is not taking action.

Taking a jibe at the ECI, Raut asked why only the vehicles and planes of opposition leaders are being checked, amid the model code of conduct in poll-bound Maharashtra.

"The Election Commission does its job. You check our cars, planes, and everything. If you carry out this work impartially, we have no problem. But in Maharashtra, where Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and BJP are contesting the election, 25 crores have already reached...We also showed videos during the Lok Sabha elections of how 20-20 bags were brought via helicopters...Do you stop the convoys of Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah and check them?...the way money distribution is happening in Maharashtra, does the Election Commission not see this?" he said addressing a press conference.

However, sources in the Election Commission clarified that enforcement agencies are strictly following SOPs to maintain a level playing field.

Earlier, Thane Police seized around Rs 2.5 crore in cash from a rowhouse in Sector 16 of Nerul in Navi Mumbai on Monday, amid the model code of conduct in place for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections.

The cash was seized in a joint operation by the Election Commission and Thane Police.

On November 6, the Election Commission seized Rs 558 crore worth of cash, freebies, liquor, drugs, and precious metals in ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and by-polls across 14 states, as per an official release.

In Maharashtra alone, EC has yielded about Rs 280 crores since the announcement of elections. Another Rs 158 crores worth of seizures from Jharkhand so far.

The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23.