Uddhav Thackeray Criticizes ECI for Inspecting His Bags, Questions if Ruling Leaders Are Also Targeted

Yavatmal, 12th November 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray voiced his frustration on Monday after Election Commission of India (ECI) officials inspected his bags when his helicopter landed in Wani, Yavatmal district.

Thackeray had visited Yavatmal to campaign for his party’s candidate in the Wani assembly constituency, Sanjay Derkar. He questioned whether the ECI also inspects the bags of leaders from the ruling party.

“I want to ask if they checked the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar?” Thackeray asked.

Upon arriving in Wani by helicopter on Monday afternoon, Thackeray and his assistant, MLC Milind Narvekar, were approached by election officials who requested to inspect their bags. Thackeray allowed the inspection but recorded a video of the incident, which he later shared on social media.

In the video, Thackeray is heard asking ECI officials whether they have checked the bags of the aforementioned leaders. When an official replies that those leaders have not yet visited the area, Thackeray suggests they inspect their bags when they do, and send him proof via video.

During his rally in Wani, Thackeray further expressed his discontent with the incident. “I’m not angry at the officials, as they were just doing their job. But I have to ask, do they inspect the bags of Modi, Shah, the man with the beard (referring to Shinde), the one in the pink jacket (referring to Pawar), and Fadnavis?” he said.

Thackeray went on to warn that if the election authorities do not check the bags of ruling party leaders, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance would take matters into their own hands. He also urged his party workers and voters to scrutinize the identity cards and pockets of election officials if approached.

In a related incident, Amol Kolhe, an MP from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), an ally of Shiv Sena (UBT), also claimed that his bags were checked by ECI officials when he arrived for a rally in Sangli.