Maharashtra Election 2024: A routine check of Uddhar Thackeray’s bag ahead of a poll rally has boiled into a political storm with Shiv Sena-UBT questioning the poll officials whether they have also searched ruling party leaders including Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis. However, Shinde Sena was quick to highlight that Eknath Shinde’s bag was also checked during the Lok Sabha election but the CM did not make a fuss about it.
Speaking to the media, “The Election Commission does its work during the elections… Our luggage, helicopter, private jet, cars, and everything else are checked. They reach our homes. We don’t have a problem with it if it is done impartially. Where Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis are contesting, Rs 25-25 crores have already reached… We also showed videos during the Lok Sabha elections of how 20-20 bags were brought via helicopters. Our luggage is checked but are the helicopters and cars of Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah also checked?”
Raut questioned whether the observers are not able to see the money distribution going on in Maharashtra. “If someone checked PM Modi’s helicopter in Odisha, that person was suspended. Does PM Modi not come under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission? Can the PM, HM and union minister distribute anything among the people? What kind of unbiased justice is this?…” said Raut.
On the other hand, the poll officials also responded to the controversy. Sources in the Election Commission on Tuesday told PTI that aircraft and helicopters of top leaders across the political spectrum are checked as part of the standard operating procedure (SOP). “There have been strict SOPs followed by enforcement agencies for a level playing field. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a similar issue was raised in Bihar and it was clarified that the helicopters of prominent leaders, including Nadda checked in district Bhagalpur on April 24 and Shah in district Katihar on April 21 were also checked as per SOP,” a functionary pointed out.