BJP's Vinod Tawde Accused Of Cash Distribution On Maharashtra Poll Eve, EC Files FIR

Last Updated:November 19, 2024, 15:48 IST

The allegations were levied by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Hitendra Thakur on Tuesday

Vinod Tawde accused of distributing cash in Maharashtra (Video screengrabs/Social Media)

An FIR has been registered against BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde for allegedly distributing cash to woo voters ahead of assembly election polling in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.

The allegations were levied by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Hitendra Thakur on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, Thakur claimed, “Some BJP leaders informed me that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde is coming to Virar to disburse Rs 5 crore to influence voters. I thought a national leader like him would not stoop to such a trivial task. But I saw him here. I urge the Election Commission to take action against him and the BJP."

The BVA legislator alleged the hotel Tawde was staying had shut CCTV recording.

“The hotel administration seems to be in cahoots with Tawde and the BJP. They only activated their CCTV after we requested it. Tawde was distributing money to manipulate voters," he said, news agency PTI reported.

Workers of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi were seen protesting and raising slogans in Virar, as they surrounded Tawde, videos widely shared on social media showed.

A heavy police presence was called in to manage the situation.

Later, a video shared by the Congress party showed Bahujan Vikas Aghadi supporters waving currency notes in front of Tawde.

“BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde has been caught distributing money in a hotel in Maharashtra. Vinod Tawde had taken the money in a bag and was calling people there and distributing the money," a rough translation of Congress’s tweet in Hindi suggested.

“When the public came to know about this news, there was a huge uproar. Many videos of Vinod Tawde with money are coming out," the party wrote, urging the Election Commission to take cognisance of the matter.

Meanwhile, the BJP denied all such accusations and termed those “baseless".

“The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has resorted to lies and falsehood and conspiracy against Vinod Tawde ji. All allegations are baseless. The people of Maharashtra will give a befitting response to this conspiracy by MVA," BJP national spokesperson Pradip Bhandari said. 

He further said, “A meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. The Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made. I went there to tell them about it. The workers of the party (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Appa Thakur and Kshitij thought that we were distributing money."

According to India Today, the police sealed the hotel and were trying to get Tawde out amid protests by the BVA workers demanding Tawde’s immediate arrest.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra legislative assembly will be held on November 20 and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

News elections BJP's Vinod Tawde Accused Of Cash Distribution On Maharashtra Poll Eve, EC Files FIR