Bag checking of the top leaders by the election officials is the latest trend in the poll-bound Maharashtra where people will vote on November 20. Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray’s bag was once again checked by the poll authorities for the third time this week. The latest checking took place in Shrigonda, Ahmednagar. In a video clip, poll authorities are seen checking the former chief minister’s bag put inside a helicopter.
Earlier, Thackeray on Tuesday claimed his bags were inspected by election authorities after he arrived in Latur district to campaign for the assembly polls.
On Monday, he said that after his helicopter landed at Wani in Yavatmal district, his bag was checked by the authorities.
On Tuesday, the former CM said a similar exercise was carried out by the election officials after his chopper arrived at Ausa in Latur ahead of his scheduled rally there.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) posted a video of poll authorities’ act on its X handle. In the video, Thackeray is heard asking the election officials their names and their posting while they are checking his bags.
During his interaction with them, the Sena (UBT) chief is heard asking them, “How many people have you searched so far?” On their response that he is the first one, he says, “I am the first customer then.”
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Maharashtra during the day, he said, “Modi is coming today and I will send you to Solapur airport, which is shut (in view of the visit). Narendra Modi should also be subjected to this kind of checking.”
Thackeray later said, “I am not angry with you, but the same law should be applied to Narendra Modi when he is coming for election campaign…We should live and die for Maharashtra and not do the jobs for other states.”
CM Eknath, Kharge and other leaders’ bags also check
Thackeray is not the only leader whose bag underwent a check-up process by the poll authorities. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his Deputies – Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole are the top names whose bags were checked by the authorities.
(With PTI inputs)
