Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge recently targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing controversy involving Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde in Maharashtra.
The incident has become the subject of intense political debate as the state prepares for its upcoming assembly elections. The allegations revolve around Tawde allegedly distributing money to voters, a claim that has sparked outrage and calls for investigation.
The controversy erupted when workers from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) party caused a ruckus outside a hotel in Nalasopara, Palghar district, where Vinod Tawde was meeting with BJP party members.
The BVA workers accused the BJP of attempting to bribe voters with cash just before the elections. The situation was further inflamed when videos surfaced showing Tawde with a bag of money, which he was allegedly distributing to those present.
In the midst of this political storm, Congress leaders swiftly seized the opportunity to criticise Prime Minister Modi and his party. Rahul Gandhi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to question the origins of the alleged money.
He made a pointed remark aimed at Modi, asking, “Modiji, from whose SAFE did these 5 crores come? Who looted the public’s money and sent you in the tempo?” Gandhi’s tweet was a direct reference to the slogan ‘Ek hain to safe hain,’ which has been part of the BJP’s poll campaign in Maharashtra.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President, also weighed in on the issue, accusing Modi of using money and muscle power to influence the election. Kharge highlighted the contradiction between Modi's promises to keep Maharashtra "safe" and the reported actions of BJP leaders.
He emphasised the hypocrisy of the situation, stating that while the state faced security issues, a senior BJP leader was allegedly caught distributing cash in an effort to sway voters.
"Modi Ji wants to make Maharashtra SAFE with money power and muscle power! On one hand, there is a deadly attack on the former Home Minister of the state; on the other hand, a senior BJP leader is caught red-handed with Rs 5 crore in cash! This is not the ideology of Maharashtra; the public will answer this by voting tomorrow,” Kharge wrote on X.
As the controversy deepened, the Congress party posted a video showing Tawde allegedly with a substantial sum of money, further fueling accusations of electoral malpractice.
The video appeared to show Tawde distributing cash to individuals at the hotel, leading Congress to accuse the BJP of using money to influence the electoral process. The Congress also urged the Election Commission to investigate the matter and take strong action against those responsible for the alleged misconduct.
In response to the allegations, Vinod Tawde denied any wrongdoing. He explained that the meeting at the hotel was a routine gathering with Maharashtra MLAs to discuss the Model Code of Conduct ahead of the elections.
Tawde stated that his purpose was to inform party workers about the sealing of voting machines and how to handle objections during the voting process. According to Tawde, the BVA workers misunderstood the situation and falsely accused him of distributing money.
Tawde welcomed an impartial investigation by the Election Commission and police, suggesting that CCTV footage could clear up any confusion surrounding the incident. "Let the Election Commission and Police inquire, let them get CCTV footage. I have been at the party for 40 years. Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, and the entire party knows me," Tawde said, defending himself against the allegations.
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