Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 19 : Bharatiya Janata Party National General Secretary Vinod Tawde on Tuesday dismissed Bahujan Vikas Aghadi's allegations (BVA) that he was "distributing money" ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra polls saying that he has "never been involved in a case relating to money" in his 40 years of career in politics.
"Today, as I was passing by that area (Vasai-Virar), our candidate Rajan Naik asked me to join them to have tea. 200-250 booths in charge were present there. Later, (BVA leader) Hitendra Thakur and his son came there and said I've come to distribute money. Their party workers also came and caused a ruckus. It is not wrong to go and meet party workers who work day and night for the party," he said.
"I have been in politics for the last 40 years and I have never been involved in a case relating to money. Why are Supriya Sule and Rahul Gandhi saying all this? After all this, Hitendra Thakur and Kshitij Thakur dropped me in their car," Tawde added.
Meanwhile, the BJP leader also cancelled his press conference in the Nalasopara case on Tuesday following BVA's 'cash for vote' allegation.
In a post on X, "I received the notice of the Election Commission through the police. He had suggested not to hold a press conference. Therefore, I have cancelled the press conference in the Nalasopara case."
However, Tawde dismissed the charge levelled by BVA that the BJP was "distributing money" ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
"A meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. I went there to tell them about the Model Code of Conduct for the day of voting, how will voting machines be sealed and how to go about if an objection has to be made. The workers of the party (Bahujan Vikas Aghadi), Appa Thakur and Kshitij thought that we were distributing money. Let the Election Commission and Police inquire, let them get CCTV footage. I have been in the party for 40 years. Appa Thakur and Kshitij know me, and the entire party knows me. Still, I believe that the Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation," Tawde said.
This comes after the workers of BVA on Tuesday created a ruckus outside a hotel located at Nalasopara assembly constituency in Palghar district alleging the BJP of "distributing money."
The BVA workers created a ruckus outside the Vivanta Hotel in Virar where BJP leader Vinod Tawde was holding a meeting with the party workers.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole also lashed out, saying, "We have been told that a diary was recovered from Vinod Tawde, which showed that Rs 10 crores had already been distributed. Rs 5 crores in cash was recovered from him yesterday as well. I hope the Election Commission has not made any new rules for BJP leaders. Action should be taken against them. They were earlier talking about vote jihad, but have now resorted to note jihad... No one is going to believe him and his excuses now... When election campaigning ended at 5 pm yesterday, why was Vinod Tawde distributing letters, as he says, to his party workers? ..."
Countering the statements made by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leaders, Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the opposition has understood that they will get defeated in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections and thus opting for dirty tricks.
"Today, BJP National General Secretary, Vinod Tawde ji, was having a meeting with local party workers in Nalasopara to make them understand the do's and don'ts for tomorrow. At the same time, people from our opposition conspired against him and tried to defame Vinod Tawde ji and the BJP. The administration has taken cognisance of this incident, and they are investigating the matter. As a BJP leader, I would like to say that all these kinds of tactics are not going to work. The opposition has understood that they are losing the elections, and that is why they are doing all these dirty tricks," he added.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting set for November 23.