More than 17 hours after the Maharashtra Assembly election campaigning ended, Vinod Tawde, the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was accused of being found in possession of cash at a hotel on Wednesday morning. Supporters of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) party broke into the hotel and threw money in Tawde’s face. Tawde was led away by police once they arrived on the scene.
Vinod Tawde in Virar Hotel
Rajan Naik of the BJP and Sandeep Pandey of the Congress are running against each other for the Nalasopara seat, which is presently held by BVA MLA Kshitij Thakur. After the campaign ended, BVA President Hitendra Thakur questioned why a “outsider” politician was in Virar, even though the BVA had previously backed Mahayuti with its three MLAs in 2019.
Allegations from the BVA members
BVA members claim that they were informed that Vinod Tawde was holding a meeting at the Vivant Hotel in Manvelpada, where Naik and regional BJP leaders were in attendance. The employees claimed to have seen Tawde giving out cash to guests. Thakur asserted that Vinod Tawde had two name-containing diaries and Rs 5 crore. The BVA claimed that while Vinod Tawde was holding his meeting inside the hotel, the entrance gate was closed.
BVA raises concerns regarding webcasting
BVA has voiced concerns about webcasting at all 507 voting places in the Nalasopara constituency. One of the two important polling places in the Palghar district is located here. Thakur is up against BJP contender Sneha Dube in the Vasai seat. 93% of the booths in Vasai have been broadcast. According to Thakur, Tawde apologized over the phone for being in Virar. He called on election officials and police to investigate the alleged election code violation.
