Mumbai: The Election Commission of India on Tuesday began investigations into ‘cash for vote’ allegations leveled by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) against BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde. The BVA accused Tawde of distributing Rs 5 crore to woo voters, a day before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a claim the BJP leader denied, saying he was merely guiding party workers on poll procedures.
A viral video of the incident shows BVA workers, who gheraoed Tawde at the hotel for nearly four hours, storming into the Vivanta Hotel in Palghar during a meeting between Tawde and Rajan Naik, the BJP candidate from the Nalasopara Assembly seat.
The police registered two FIRs against Tawde and around 250 BJP workers in connection with the alleged cash distribution at the hotel in Virar. While the first FIR against Tawde is for violation of the election Model Code of Conduct “by distributing cash and liquor”, the second FIR against him is for violation of Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, an official said. Section 126 stipulates that no person shall convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or procession in connection with an election during the period of 48 hours before the polling ends.
Tawde refuted the allegation and claimed he was ambushed by BVA supporters as part of a planned conspiracy. Interestingly, the BVA accusations came on a day when BVA candidate Suresh Padvi contesting from the Dahanu Assembly seat joined the BJP and announced his withdrawal from the election.
After the ruckus of over three hours, BVA chief Hitendra Thakur, his son Kshitij, Tawde and Naik decided to hold a joint press conference to tell their sides of the story. However, the EC officials stopped the press conference as soon as it started pointing out that it cannot be held during the silent period before the voting. Kshitij is contesting the Nalasopara seat as the BVA candidate.
Subsequently, Thakur, Kshitij and Tawde left the hotel in the same car, which added to further confusion over the incident. Thakur said that he gave lift to the BJP leader in order to ensure his safety as the situation was tense.
The BVA leaders alleged a diary was recovered from Tawde’s bag, which had entries of Rs 15 crore paid to different people. Thakur claimed that he received information from BJP insiders about Tawde coming to the hotel with Rs 5 crore cash.
“I was told by BJP workers that Vinod Tawde was coming with Rs 5 crore. I came with my supporters. We have found a diary with nothing. The police and Election Commission must act. The CCTV network of the hotel was also shut and started much after I arrived. I feel that the hotel management is also involved and action must be taken against them,” Thakur said.
However, Tawde refuted the allegations. He claimed that he was having a meeting with the BJP candidate, when BVA workers suddenly entered his room and started accusing him of money distribution. “At that time, I even called Thakur and requested him to restrain his party workers. The EC should conduct a thorough investigation into the incident. The CCTV footage from the hotel will clarify if any money was being distributed. Other BJP leaders, including party’s state president Chandrashekar Bawankule, defended Tawde and alleged that the BVA is making false accusations as the party has realised that its candidate is losing the election.
