Tue Nov 19 21:38:05 UTC 2024: ## BJP Leader Accused of Vote-Buying in Maharashtra
**Virar, Maharashtra:** A major political controversy erupted in Virar, Maharashtra, when BJP national secretary Vinod Tawde was accused of distributing money to buy votes ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections. The allegations were made by workers from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), who stormed a Vivanta Hotel in Manvelpada where Tawde was allegedly distributing cash.
The BVA workers confronted Tawde, claiming to have found cash packets on his person and in the hotel. A scuffle ensued between BJP and BVA workers, resulting in the police sealing the hotel and intervening to quell the escalating tension. MLA Kshitij Thakur was also present at the scene.
Tawde and MLA Hitendra Thakur, initially planning a joint press conference, were prevented by the Election Commission from doing so. After several hours of chaos, Tawde and Thakur left the hotel in a car driven by Kshitij Thakur. While Hitendra Thakur initially claimed they were going for dinner and that Tawde would return the remaining money, he later told ANI that police asked him to help Tawde leave safely due to a purported vehicle malfunction.
The BJP has denied the allegations, with national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi demanding an investigation and scrutiny of CCTV footage. The Election Commission has indicated a potential investigation into the incident. The incident has raised serious questions about the integrity of the upcoming elections and has sparked widespread outrage.
First Piper 