Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s helicopter was thoroughly inspected by election officials upon his arrival in Palghar on Wednesday to campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections. The check, which involved a detailed search of his personal belongings, was recorded in a video. Shinde appeared to engage calmly with the poll officials during the inspection, which followed similar checks on opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, fueling accusations of bias and harassment during the campaign period.
Uddhav Thackeray, who recently accused election officials of double standards, claimed that his bags had been inspected twice—once in Yavatmal and once in Latur—during his campaign. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader voiced concerns that these checks were part of an orchestrated effort to disrupt the opposition’s campaign.
In a video shared by Thackeray himself, election officers were seen going through his personal belongings, with Thackeray questioning whether similar scrutiny had been applied to Chief Minister Shinde and his allies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. Thackeray also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asking whether their bags had been subjected to the same level of inspection when they campaigned in Maharashtra.
In response to the allegations, election officials defended their actions, asserting that strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were being followed to ensure a level playing field during the campaign period. The officials emphasized that with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in place, surprise checks were routine, aimed at preventing the distribution of cash or gifts to influence voters ahead of the state’s Assembly elections on November 20.
The scrutiny wasn’t limited to Shinde’s helicopter. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also had his helicopter searched by election officials upon his arrival in Latur on Tuesday. The BJP, however, turned the tables on Thackeray by sharing a video showing bags of its own leaders, including Fadnavis, being checked at an airport.
Responding to Thackeray’s complaints, BJP leaders downplayed the significance of the checks. Devendra Fadnavis remarked, “What is wrong with checking bags? We had our bags checked during campaigning, and there was no need for this level of frustration.”
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also chimed in, sharing a video of his own bags being searched by election officials. Pawar stated that he fully cooperated with the process, emphasizing that such measures are essential for ensuring free and fair elections. “Let us all respect the law and support efforts to uphold the integrity of our democracy,” Pawar said.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with results expected to be announced three days later. As the campaign season intensifies, both sides continue to accuse each other of unfair practices and attempts to sway the vote.
