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A routine check of Uddhav Thackeray's luggage in Maharashtra's Yavatmal Monday afternoon - shortly after the ex-Chief Minister arrived to address a rally before next week's Assembly election - has triggered a row Tuesday between his Shiva Sena faction and the group led by Eknath Shinde.
Taking up arms for his party this morning, Thackeray Sena strongman Sanjay Raut demanded to know if bags belonging to ruling party bigwigs - Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde - were similarly checked when they were campaigning.
The Shinde Sena hit back swiftly; party spokesperson Krishna Hegde told News Agency Mr Raut has a "habit of making wild allegations" and pointed out Mr Shinde's bags had, in fact, been checked. This was in Nashik, when the Chief Minister was campaigning for the April-June general election. "Shindeji did not make a fuss... didn't create an uproar like the Uddhav Thackeray camp," Mr Hegde declared.
"I don't know why they are making a fuss. If you have nothing to hide... why protest?"
Earlier Mr Raut told reporters, "Our luggage, helicopter, private jet, cars... everything is checked. They search our homes also... but we don't have a problem if it is done impartially. But, where Eknath Shinde and (Deputy Chief Ministers) Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis are contesting, Rs 25 crores have already reached..." the Sena (UBT) leader said, alleging that cash is being exchanged for votes.
"Our luggage is checked but are the helicopters and cars of Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah also checked? Are there only clothes in their bags? Are (election) observers not able to see the money distribution going on in Maharashtra?"
डॉ. बाबासाहेबांनी लिहिलेल्या संविधानात सगळ्यांना समान न्याय हे आम्ही मानतोच.पण यंत्रणांना हाताशी धरुन लोकशाहीला पायदळी तुडवून हुकुमत गाजविणाऱ्या दिल्लीश्वरांनी मात्र त्या संविधानाचा सगळ्याच पातळ्यांवर अवमान करायचा ठरवलं आहे.
आज उद्धवसाहेबांच्या सामानाची वणी येथे काही… pic.twitter.com/XyM53sKOsy
— ShivSena - शिवसेना Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (@ShivSenaUBT_) November 11, 2024
A video of the officer caught in the political crossfire over the search of Mr Thackeray's bag was shared on X by the party. The 150-second video shows the official being grilled by Mr Thackeray, who asks him his name and then says, "I won't stop you... you are following your responsibility. I am following mine."
"Search... search whatever you want to search. But did you search bags of Devendra Fadnavis, Narendra Modi, or Amit Shah?" Mr Thackeray asks, to which the officer says, "No, sir."
Mr Thackeray then declares to the officer - who says the senior leaders haven't yet campaigned in the region - to make sure he inspects their bags when they do, and send him a video of the search.
The officer then briefly checks a brown duffle and a blue icebox.
Later, at a rally in the Wani Assembly seat, Mr Thackeray referred to the incident and advised allies to first confirm the identity of those asking to search their bags, and their pockets too.
The furore over checking of bags plays out during every election, federal or state, with each party or alliance accusing the other of transporting vast amounts of cash to buy votes. The search of Mr Shinde's bags in May was reportedly prompted by claims money was being transported.
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After the row over Mr Thackeray's bag being searched, EC sources told News Agency "strict" protocols were followed to check helicopters of political leaders during campaigning. Sources referred to another incident during the April-June general election, when choppers used by Amit Shah were checked.
Sources said officials had been told to check all choppers to ensure a level playing field.
Voting for Maharashtra's 288 Assembly seats will be held on November 20, with results due three days later. Mr Thackeray's Sena group is allied with the Congress and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party against the BJP and the Sena and NCP factions led by Mr Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
With input from agencies
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