EC Officials Check Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s Bags in Palghar After Uddhav Thackeray’s Allegations

EC Officials Check Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde’s Bags in Palghar After Uddhav Thackeray’s Allegations

Election Commission (EC) personnel examined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s luggage after his chopper touched down at the Palghar Police Ground helipad on Wednesday, a move that has caused political controversy. Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), questioned the EC’s processes after he claimed that election officials had examined his personal bags while he was in Latur and Yavatmal earlier this week.

Thackeray expressed his worries, asking whether prominent figures like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Shinde himself would be subject to the same scrutiny. “I don’t mind officials doing their duty, but do they also check the bags of Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, that bearded person (referring to Shinde), the man with the pink jacket (Ajit Pawar), and deputy CM Fadnavis?” At a rally in Wani, Thackeray said.

Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, accused Thackeray of “seeking votes by whining” and dismissed his comments as a ploy to “divert attention.” Fadnavis emphasized that these checks are normal and noted that EC officers had also regularly examined the luggage of his campaign staff.

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The Maharashtra BJP added to the conversation by posting a video on X (previously Twitter) that showed EC officers inspecting Fadnavis’ baggage in Baramati. The video made clear that these inspections are a regular component of security and compliance procedures rather than isolated instances.