BJP leader Vinod Tawde accused in cash-for-votes scandal ahead of Maharashtra Assembly polls
Mumbai: In a dramatic turn of events, BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde was allegedly caught with cash at a hotel in Virar (East) on Wednesday morning, just hours after campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections concluded. The incident has sparked a political storm, with allegations of electoral malpractice being leveled against the BJP.
Supporters of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) stormed the Vivant Hotel in Manvelpada, where Tawde was reportedly meeting BJP candidate Rajan Naik and local leaders. The BVA members alleged they found Tawde distributing cash during the gathering. In a heated confrontation, BVA supporters reportedly flung cash at Tawde and called the police, who later escorted him away from the scene.
BVA President Hitendra Thakur accused Tawde of possessing ₹5 crore in cash and diaries containing names, purportedly for vote-buying purposes. Thakur alleged that the hotel gates were locked during the meeting, raising suspicions of an illicit gathering.
The BVA has also demanded an inspection of all 30 rooms at the hotel after ₹9 lakh in cash was reportedly found in one of the rooms. They expressed concerns over irregularities in the polling process, specifically highlighting webcasting at 507 polling booths in the Nalasopara constituency.
The Nalasopara constituency, currently represented by BVA MLA Kshitij Thakur, is witnessing a triangular contest among BJP's Rajan Naik, Congress's Sandeep Pandey, and BVA's candidate. BVA has called for strict action against Tawde, with Thakur alleging that the BJP leader had called him to apologize for his presence in Virar after the campaign period ended.
Reacting to the allegations, Tawde denied any wrongdoing, stating, "There are CCTV cameras in the hotel room. I simply came to meet party workers. For 40 years, I have been in politics and never distributed money." Tawde emphasized that Election Commission officials had videographed the room and urged for transparency in the investigation.
The controversy has led to sharp criticism from opposition parties. Congress candidates Sandeep Pandey and Vijay Patil demanded immediate police action, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of attempting to influence the elections through unethical means. "The BJP’s scheme has come to an end. Thakur has done what the Election Commission should have done," Raut wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Tuling Police in Nalasopara East have registered an FIR against Vinod Tawde under provisions of the Representation of the People’s Act. Election officials confirmed the seizure of ₹9 lakh in cash and other documents from the hotel.
BJP के राष्ट्रीय महासचिव विनोद तावड़े महाराष्ट्र के एक होटल में पैसे बांटते हुए पकड़े गए हैं।
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 19, 2024
विनोद तावड़े बैग में भरकर पैसे लेकर गए थे और वहां पर लोगों को बुला-बुलाकर पैसे बांट रहे थे।
ये खबर जब जनता को पता चली तो भारी हंगामा हो गया। पैसों के साथ विनोद तावड़े के कई वीडियो… pic.twitter.com/iqbMcGJtyQ
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Speaker UT Khader attends local cricket tournament during Bhatkal visit
Bhatkal: Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly U. T. Khader visited Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district on Saturday and attended a local cricket match being played as part of a tournament organised by the Cosmos Sports Centre of Bhatkal.
After attending a programme at Anjuman Hami-E-Muslimeen, Khader proceeded to the Bhatkal Taluka Stadium, where the tournament is underway. He was accompanied by office-bearers of the Cosmos Sports Centre and several local community leaders.
Those present during the visit included President of Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem and former JD(S) leader Inayathullah Shabandri, Vice President of Tanzeem Atiqur Rahman Muniri, General Secretary Abdul Raqeeb MJ, President of Cosmos Sports Centre Ismail Anjum, Managing Director of Mohtisham Complexes S. M. Arshad, former president of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation Imtiyaz Udyawar, among others.
Addressing players and organisers, Khader extended his best wishes to the participating teams and urged the players to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship. He said such tournaments help promote unity and brotherhood among the youth.
The cricket tournament began on November 21 and will conclude with the final match on December 21. It is being organised as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Cosmos Sports Centre.
Cosmos Sports Centre is one of the member clubs of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation and is known for its active role in promoting sports in the town. Apart from sporting activities, the centre is also involved in various social and community initiatives, including efforts to promote education among students.
