On Monday, 11th November, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Election Commission officials for checking his bags at the Wani helipad in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district. He released a video in which he could be seen identifying the government identities of the officials and expressing anger over checking his bags. He alleged that the ECI officials had been checking only the bags of the opposition party members and not that of the Mahayuti alliance members.
“Why are only our bags checked? Have you checked Modi’s, Amit Shah’s, Devendra Fadnavis, or Eknath Shinde’s bags?” he asked. To this, the ECI officials stated that the said leaders had not come to the district yet for campaigning. The officials also assured them that their bags would also be checked if they came here.
Further Thackeray expressed anger saying, “Will see. I am releasing this video. But then you’ll have to also send me a video of the bag-checking of the leaders I mentioned. You can check my bags. I’ll cooperate. Also, check my urine pot. See if you can find anything. I’ll later expose you then.”
VIDEO | Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's bags were checked by election officials after he arrived in Yavatmal via helicopter earlier today.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 11, 2024
(Source: Third Party)#MaharahstraElection2024 pic.twitter.com/sMkm0Cffcu
Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged ECI of adopting partiality in acts
The video since then has been making rounds on social media with opposition targeting the ECI officials and the ruling government alleging partial behaviour. Commenting on the event, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also said that the party has no problem if ECI is acting impartially.
“The Election Commission continues to do its work. Whether it’s Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, or Jammu and Kashmir, you check our belongings, our helicopters, private jets, and cars. You even reach our homes. We have no problem with that. If you are carrying out this work impartially, we have no issues,” he said.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, reacts on the bag checking of Uddhav Thackeray, says, "The Election Commission continues to do its work. Whether it's Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, or Jammu and Kashmir, you check our belongings, our helicopters, private… pic.twitter.com/4pAYyD87Fd
— IANS (@ians_india) November 12, 2024
Thackeray, who stepped down as CM in the year 2022 also brought up the issue while addressing the rally at Wani. He said that the voters also have the right to check the bags of the senior leaders of the ruling alliance. “All these useless things are going on, I don’t consider it as democratic. This can’t be a democracy. In a democracy, no one is big or small. We believe in equal justice for all as per the Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Those who rule by trampling democracy have decided to defy that Constitution at all levels. Today, Uddhav Thackeray’s luggage was checked by some officials. A similar inspection of traitors’ belongings must be done as well,” he said.
With the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in place, poll workers often conduct surprise checks to prevent the transfer of gifts and cash to entice voters. Earlier, bags of NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader Dr Amol Kolhe were also checked. The leader too like Thackeray shot the video of ECI officials and posted on X saying, “The bag was checked again today, the second time during the assembly elections. Shiv Sena party chief Shri. Uddhav Thackeray was also examined. It is accepted that there are rules, but it is not accepted that only the opposition parties have to follow the rules and the ruling party has free rein everywhere. If there is a law, it should be the same for everyone!” he said.
आज पुन्हा बॅग तपासली गेली, विधानसभा निवडणुकीदरम्यान दुसऱ्यांदा तपासणी झाली. आजच शिवसेना पक्षप्रमुख श्री. उध्दव ठाकरे साहेबांचीही तपासणी झाली.
— Dr.Amol Kolhe (@kolhe_amol) November 11, 2024
नियम असतात हे मान्य आहे, पण नियम फक्त विरोधी पक्षांनाच असतात अन् सत्ताधाऱ्यांना सगळीकडे मोकळं रान असतं हे मान्य नाही. कायदा आहे, तर तो… pic.twitter.com/BK48pCmJel
CM Eknath Shinde’s bags were also checked during the LS election
It is important to note that the bags of CM Eknath Shinde were also checked during the Lok Sabha elections in May this year at Nashik. The video of the incident had gone viral over the internet in which the ECI officials could be seen checking his tow bags full of clothes. Shinde meanwhile could be seen co-operating with the ECI checking.
#WATCH | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde's luggage was checked by Election Commission officers in Panchavati, Nashik. pic.twitter.com/1v1sBkNe4p
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2024
This is notable after the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that Shinde was carrying bags filled with cash to Nashik to gain support for the then-candidate Hemant Godse. Shinde then slammed Raut and said that unlike other people he didn’t have a habit of working secretly. “Some people work secretly. Eknath Shinde works openly,” he said.
In the given case, the video posted by the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray portrayed sheer arrogance towards the ECI officials who were just performing their duty. He alleged the ECI officials of ‘partial’ behavior and almost threatened them saying that he would expose them soon.
As per the final seat-sharing formula of the Mahayuti this time, the BJP is fighting on 148 seats, the Sena on 80, and the NCP on 53 seats. On the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) side, Congress is fighting on 101 seats, Sena (UBT) on 94 seats, and NCP (SP) on 88 seats. The 288 legislative assembly seats will go to the polls in a single phase on November 20th while the counting of votes will take place on November 23rd.
Uddhav Thackeray goes on a bizarre rant, asks PM Modi to campaign for MVA in Maharashtra polls
Uddhav Thackeray on Monday went on a bizarre rant against Prime Minister Modi during a political rally in the Wani district. Thackeray contended that the Prime Minister is the country’s leader and not the BJP’s leader alone and he should have come for political campaigning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the alliance that is fighting BJP-led Mahayuti Alliance for the upcoming Maharashtra polls.
“Modi ji is the Prime Minister of India, not the PM of BJP. If he has taken the oath of treating all citizens equally, why is he not here campaigning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi? Are we not Indians?” Thackeray said.
