On November 19, 2024, a heated confrontation took place in Virar East between members of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) led by Hitendra Thakur and Nalla Sopara MLA Kshitij Thakur, and BJP representatives. The BVA activists and MLA alleged that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde had arrived with ₹5 crore to distribute to their candidate Rajan Naik.
The clash occurred at Hotel Vivanta in Virar East, where Tawde was meeting with BJP’s Nalasopara constituency candidate Rajan Naik. BVA workers interrupted the meeting, claiming that money was being distributed. However, Tawde denied the accusations and stated that he had stopped on his way to discuss the polling process and code of conduct with their candidate.
Despite the allegations, no evidence of money distribution was found after Tawde’s vehicle was searched. Tawde’s BJP colleagues also refuted the charges, suggesting that the BVA was misrepresenting the incident to create false claims.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut commented on the controversy, stating that the Election Commission’s responsibilities were taken over by the Thakurs. Vasai MLA Kshitij Thakur claimed to have found a diary detailing transactions worth ₹15 crore, while his father Hitendra Thakur mentioned that Tawde had called him multiple times to apologize.
The incident, which is under the jurisdiction of Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar police, involves the BVA, a local political outfit founded by the Thakurs. Hitendra Thakur, contesting from Nalasopara constituency, and his son Kshitij, seeking re-election from Vasai, have been involved in the accusations against Tawde.
Tawde emphasized the need for an impartial investigation, stating that the allegations were based on a misunderstanding. BJP leader Pravin Darekar dismissed the accusations as BVA’s attempt to create a false narrative due to their fear of losing elections.
Police forces were deployed to escort Tawde from the hotel, where he was surrounded by protesters. The police conducted a search of all hotel rooms based on the allegations against Tawde. Palghar collector Govind Bodke mentioned that an FIR would be filed against Tawde for entering Virar 48 hours before the polls, as he is not a voter in the area.
The additional chief electoral officer of Maharashtra, Kiran Kulkarni, stated that the Election Commission rules provide for action against those attempting to induce voters. Necessary actions are being taken by the district collector and police commissioner of Vasai Virar in response to the complaint received regarding the incident.
