Amid Assembly Election Tensions, Thackeray’s Bag Inspections Spark Controversy Over Double Standards and Political Rivalries
Uddhav Thackeray’s campaign trail has sparked controversy due to election officials conducting routine searches of his belongings. During recent stops in Yavatmal and Latur, Thackeray’s bags were checked as he stepped out of his helicopter, leading to tensions between his faction of Shiv Sena (UBT) and the group led by Eknath Shinde, his successor as Chief Minister. In a video shared by PTI, Thackeray questioned an election official, Mahesh Shani, about his identification and demanded to see ID cards, appointment letters, and even requested that the officials reveal any cash they might have on them.
In a sarcastic tone, Thackeray suggested that the officials’ names would appear on TV, hinting that this scrutiny was politically motivated. He clarified he wasn’t personally offended but voiced concern that leaders from other parties, especially those in the ruling alliance, seemed exempt from similar searches, despite claims from his party that some may be carrying cash to influence votes.
His aide, Sanjay Raut, voiced frustration, questioning whether similar inspections were conducted on the belongings of BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He alleged a double standard, pointing out that their faction’s personal items, vehicles, and even homes undergo thorough checks, while money allegedly flows unchecked to constituencies where Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis are campaigning.
The Shinde faction responded by asserting that Shinde’s bags had indeed been checked previously, in Nashik, and emphasized that he did not react with the same intensity as Thackeray.
As Maharashtra prepares for its 288-seat Assembly elections on November 20, this incident underscores the ongoing friction between the factions. Thackeray’s alliance with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party stands in opposition to the BJP and the rival factions of Shiv Sena and NCP led by Shinde and Pawar.
