BJP leader Vinod Tawde accused of handing out cash a day before voting, here’s what he said

Political tensions increased in Virar on Tuesday (November 19), a day before Maharashtra went to polls, as Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) workers accused BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde of trying to influence voters by handing out cash.

The confrontation took place at a Virar hotel, where BVA members alleged that Tawde was caught with a bag allegedly containing cash and a diary detailing the distribution of Rs 15 crore. Hitendra Thakur, BVA MLA from Vasai-Virar, accused Tawde of taking Rs 5 crore in cash.

The situation escalated further when Nalasopara MLA Kshitij Thakur, son of Hitendra Thakur, allegedly seized the diary and questioned Tawde’s presence in Virar after the official end of the campaign.

There were also concerns about the hotel’s non-functional CCTV cameras. “Action should also be taken against the hotel. The cameras were switched off because money was being distributed,” Thakur alleged.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray criticized the BJP and referred to his own bag checks during a visit to the temple of Goddess Tulja Bhavani. “My bags were checked and nothing was found. Yet I hear that cash has been recovered from Vinod Tawde’s possession. This government must go,” he noted.

The BJP dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. Senior leader Sudhir Mungantiwar called the allegations “absurd”, highlighting Tawde’s position as national secretary general and questioning the plausibility of such claims.

BJP leader Atul Bhatkhalkar termed the allegations as a ‘false narrative’ created by opposition parties fearing an electoral defeat. The incident has further polarized the political environment as Maharashtra gears up for critical elections.

In his defense, Tawde said he was there to brief the workers in Nalasopara area about the Model Code of Conduct for the polling day, such as how voting machines are sealed and what to do if an objection needs to be raised.

However, he supported an impartial investigation by the election commission. “Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, the entire party knows me. But let the election commission and the police make inquiries, let them get CCTV footage.”