Wed Nov 20 14:08:54 UTC 2024: ## BJP Leader Denies Cash-for-Votes Allegations Amidst Maharashtra Election Fallout

**Mumbai, November 20, 2024** – BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde vehemently denied allegations of distributing ₹5 crore to influence voters in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The accusations, leveled by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur hours before polling began, stemmed from a cash seizure of ₹9.93 lakh from a Virar hotel. Two cases were subsequently registered.

Tawde, who cast his vote in Mumbai on Wednesday, attributed his presence at the hotel to consultations with party workers on election procedures, dismissing the allegations as politically motivated. He emphasized his long experience in politics and familiarity with election rules, including the “silence period.”

Opposition leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, called for a thorough Election Commission investigation and demanded Tawde’s arrest. Kharge and Gandhi, in posts on X (formerly Twitter), accused the BJP of using “money power” to influence the election, citing the cash seizure and other alleged instances of vote-buying. Congress President Kharge even challenged Tawde to deposit the alleged ₹5 crore in his bank account if it existed. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole echoed these concerns, demanding strict action against the BJP for alleged corrupt practices.

Tawde, however, rejected the accusations outright, stating that he would not be foolish enough to engage in such activities, especially at a hotel owned by political opponents. He sarcastically challenged Rahul Gandhi and Supriya Sule to produce the alleged ₹5 crore if they had witnessed its distribution.

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