Sun Nov 17 06:28:45 UTC 2024: ## Veteran Politician Sharad Pawar’s Luggage Checked at Maharashtra Helipad Amidst Election Scrutiny
**Pune, Maharashtra – November 17, 2024** – Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar’s luggage was checked by election officials at a helipad in Baramati, Pune district, this morning. The incident occurred as Pawar was en route to a campaign rally in Solapur, according to his associates. This follows similar security checks on other prominent politicians, sparking debate over the impartiality of the process.
The checks are being implemented under the model code of conduct in effect for the upcoming November 20th Maharashtra Assembly elections. The incident echoes similar checks conducted on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Amravati on Saturday.
The actions of the election officials have prompted criticism, with Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur questioning why other high-profile figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have not undergone similar scrutiny. This debate was further fueled by recent videos showing bag checks of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Shinde, and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
In response to the scrutiny, Amit Shah posted on X (formerly Twitter) asserting the BJP’s commitment to free and fair elections and adherence to all regulations. The issue of selective bag checks continues to dominate the political discourse in the state as the election draws near.
First Piper 