Maharashtra, Jharkhand Election 2024 Live Updates: FIR filed against Vinod Tawde, BJP alleges conspiracy

Maharashtra is set to hold its assembly elections in a single-phase vote on Wednesday, November 20, with a high-stakes battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).The state, India’s second-largest in terms of Lok Sabha representation and third-largest in terms of Vidhan Sabha strength, will decide the fate of 288 assembly seats.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi after senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde was caught in "cash-for-votes" row on the eve of Maharashtra assembly elections. An FIR has been lodged against Tawde after Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) chief Hitendra Thakur accused the BJP national general secretary of distributing money to voters in Palghar.Rahul reacted sharply to the controversy and used it to continue with his digs at PM Modi's "ek hain to safe hain" poll pitch. "Modiji, from whose 'SAFE' did these 5 crores come? Who looted the public's money and sent you in the tempo?" the Congress leader posted on X.

BJP Maharashtra unit through its social media handle posted a video of officials from Baramati Agro, a company owned by Rohit Pawar NCP (SP) candidate from Karjatkar-Jamkhed distributing money.

NCP (SP) leader and MP from Baramati Supriya Sule had attacked the BJP on the Nallasopara incident where the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi had accused the BJP’s national general secretary Vinod Tawde of ferrying Rs 5 crore and distributing it there.

Maharashtra is all set to conduct its assembly elections with 288 seats up for grabs, and polling will take place on a single day. The state is witnessing a direct contest between the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP).

An FIR was filed on Tuesday against BJP leader Vinod Tawde amid cash-for-vote charges as the Election Commission took action based on a complaint lodged by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA). The district authorities in Palghar said that a police team comprising senior officials recovered Rs 9.93 lakh cash and some incriminating documents from the hotel where some BJP activists were allegedly distributing money. Tawde, however, has denied the charges. He was backed by the BJP which called the charges baseless and termed the incident a desperate bid by MVA ahead of polling on Wednesday.

"Vinod Tawde is a senior leader of BJP. His being caught distributing money is unfortunate...Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance of this and there should be a SC monitored probe," said Chavan.

"I am confident that we will repeat govt in one state and form govt in the other state. The reason is that the people of Maharashtra are tired of Mahayuti. We are confident that we will form govt as we are talking about farmers, loan waivers, caste census, free bus service for women, Rs 3000 for women, Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme, youth and common person of Maharashtra," said Shrinate.

"BJP and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi workers were present on different floors here. Some amount of money and a few diaries have been recovered from here. Two FIRs have been registered, and a third FIR is also being lodged for holding a press conference illegally. The situation is under control," said Pournima Chougule, DCP Zone-II, Vasai on Bahujan Vikas Aghadi accusing BJP of distributing money ahead of Maharashtra polls.

"It is shocking that a national leader of such a big party is distributing money. This is very dangerous for any democracy. If people want to get elected by distributing money then what should people like us do? Is there morality in this country or not? I publicly condemn this distribution of money. It should be investigated," said NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule on Bahujan Vikas Aghadi accusing BJP's Vinod Tawde of distributing money ahead of Maharashtra polls.

"A meeting of MLAs of Nalasopara was underway. 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...I went there to tell them about it. 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, the entire party knows me...Still, I believe that Election Commission should conduct an impartial investigation," said Tawde.

Authorities in Pune have made extensive preparations to ensure the smooth conduct of the Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20 across all 21 constituencies in the district, officials confirmed. A total of 8,462 polling stations have been set up, serving 8,849,590 registered voters in the district.

"This time, we will have 100 per cent webcasting at all polling stations in the district, with more than 6,000 stations equipped with web cameras," said Pune District Collector Suhas Divase. "We have taken steps to improve coordination both inside and outside the polling stations to ensure voters do not face long waits."

To accommodate families, crèche facilities will be available at more than 1,500 polling stations. In an effort to boost voter turnout, the authorities are working closely with housing societies, Divase added. He also mentioned that mobile phones have been banned inside the polling stations.

Over 1,200 police personnel will be deployed across the district to ensure the elections run smoothly, according to police officials. In addition to the police, Home Guard personnel, as well as volunteers from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and the National Service Scheme (NSS), will also be on hand to assist.

"We have made all necessary arrangements for the November 20 elections and urge voters to come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right," Divase said.

Ahead of the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister Champi Soren on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) for neglecting the concerns of Adivasis.

Soren, who is the BJP candidate for the Saraikela Assembly constituency, claimed that the people of Jharkhand no longer trust Congress due to its long history of injustice towards the state's residents.

"Congress has always been unfair to the people of Jharkhand," Soren said. "They will not trust Congress in this election. The Jharkhand Andolan (movement) was suppressed by Congress, and it was Congress that crushed the movement, creating martyrs in the process. The pain of the Adivasis and Moolnivasis has never been understood by them."

Soren further added that the BJP had received strong support across the state, with what he described as a "BJP wave" sweeping constituencies from Santhal Parganas to Palamu. He emphasised that the people were yearning for change.

"We've received an overwhelming response. The people want change. From Santhal Parganas to Palamu, there is a BJP wave in every constituency," Soren continued. "People don’t trust Congress because of their past actions. They have always done injustice to the people of this state."

Soren also criticised the ruling JMM and Congress for not taking a stand against the infiltration of outsiders in the Santhal Pargana division, which he claimed was exploiting the Adivasi community.

"Infiltration is the biggest issue in Jharkhand today," he stated. "Adivasis are being exploited by these infiltrators, who are forcefully marrying Adivasi women and creating families. This is a huge issue among the Adivasis, but the ruling alliance refuses to acknowledge it. They are ignoring the suffering of the Adivasis simply for the sake of votes. Only the BJP can end this infiltration and protect the Adivasis of Jharkhand."

Soren concluded by reaffirming the BJP's commitment to addressing the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration, promising that only the BJP could resolve this crisis.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Tuesday accused Shiv Sena workers of offering cash to people in exchange for their voter IDs in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. Speaking at a press conference, the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council claimed that the police were not taking firm action on the complaints about Shiv Sena workers and were instead assisting the party’s candidate in the Aurangabad West constituency.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Shirsat is facing a direct contest with rival Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Raju Shinde for the Aurangabad West seat in the state assembly elections scheduled for November 20.

Danve alleged, "Members of both Shiv Sena and BJP in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar are taking voter IDs from poor people by offering them Rs 1,000-2,000 and marking their fingers with ink."

He further claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) workers had reported these incidents to the police, but no significant action had been taken. Instead, Danve suggested the police were aiding the ruling party’s candidate.

"I had previously filed a complaint with the Election Commission, but I was instructed to submit a response just 30 minutes before the deadline," Danve added.

According to the police, two individuals were arrested on Monday night in connection with a cash-for-voter-ID case. One person was allegedly paid Rs 1,000 in exchange for his voter ID and Aadhaar card.

Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a poll flying squad conducted a search at an automobile showroom belonging to the father of NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar in Baramati town, officials reported on Tuesday. The showroom, *Sharayu Motors*, owned by Shrinivas Pawar, Yugendra's father, was searched late on Monday night, although no suspicious items were found.

Yugendra Pawar, a candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), is contesting against his uncle, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, from the Baramati seat in Pune district. The seat is a key battleground in the upcoming state assembly elections, scheduled for Wednesday.

Shrinivas Pawar is the younger brother of Ajit Pawar.

Pune Collector Suhas Divase confirmed that, following a complaint, the Election Commission’s flying squad visited the showroom to carry out the search, but found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Sub-Divisional Officer Vaibhav Navadkar stated that the Election Commission’s control room for the Baramati constituency had received a complaint, prompting the flying squad to inspect the showroom on Monday night. He clarified that the search was a routine procedure, and nothing suspicious was discovered.

Navadkar also noted that just two days ago, the election office of Kiran Gujar, the election in-charge for Ajit Pawar, was similarly checked after a complaint was received.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has urged residents of the city to put aside their holiday plans and ensure they vote in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, scheduled for Wednesday. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm.

The Mumbai district election officer has also announced that all businesses, establishments, and workplaces in the city are required to grant leave to employees so they can vote on Wednesday.

"I humbly request all Mumbaikars to exercise their right to vote responsibly and peacefully," Phansalkar said in a video message on Tuesday.

Earlier, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), he appealed to the public to vote in order to ensure their future is entrusted to "genuine and responsible hands."

"Please set aside your long leave plans and make sure you don't miss the opportunity to cast your vote quietly, fulfilling your civic duty," he added.

"Also, encourage others who may not be aware of the importance of their vote. Don't let this valuable opportunity go to waste, and do your part in shaping the future of our vibrant nation. Vote, and help spread the importance of voting," Phansalkar urged.

In addition, the police in neighbouring Navi Mumbai have launched a one-click service for voters to access all the information they need, including details about their polling booth, nearby parking facilities, and crowd status at the booth, according to an official statement.

Ahead of the second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo expressed confidence that the party would secure a two-thirds majority.

Speaking about the upcoming elections, Pratul Shah Deo said, "We are about to enter the second phase of elections in Jharkhand in a few hours. From the trends we are seeing, it is clear that in Jharkhand, 'bhagwa' (saffron) is overpowering 'fatwa'. The way the leaders of the INDIA alliance issued fatwas through Muslim clerics and urged people to vote for their candidates is shameful. The people of Sanatan Dharma are outraged. The people of Jharkhand will remove the INDIA alliance from the state, and we will come to power with a two-thirds majority."

He also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning why a caste census, which was promised in their manifesto, had not been conducted over the past five years.

"During the five years that the INDIA bloc was in power in Jharkhand, who stopped them from conducting the caste census?" Shah Deo said. "Who can forget that the Mandal Commission report was submitted in 1980, but two Congress governments between 1980 and 1990 suppressed it? Later, the government led by Vishwanath Pratap Singh, with support from the BJP, implemented the Mandal Commission. For ten years, you suppressed the Mandal Commission, which granted rights to OBCs. And for the last five years, with your government in Jharkhand, you have failed to conduct a caste census."

Campaigning for the second phase of the Jharkhand assembly elections ended on Monday, with voting scheduled for November 20.

Ahead of voting in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections on November 20, Rs 1.98 crore was seized from a hotel in Nashik. Nashik District Magistrate Jalaj Sharma confirmed, "As per the information received so far, Rs 1.98 crore has been seized. The Expenditure Observer and his team are taking further action."

An investigation is ongoing.

Under the Model Code of Conduct for elections, individuals carrying cash exceeding Rs 50,000 must provide valid documentation, while no paperwork is required for amounts below that threshold.

Earlier, on November 12, the Thane Police seized around Rs 2.5 crore in cash from a row house in Sector 16, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, in connection with the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. The seizure was made during a joint operation by the Election Commission and the Thane Police. Senior Inspector Bramhanand Naikwadi told ANI, "We have seized the cash from a row house. We are investigating whose money it is and where it came from. The seizure was carried out jointly by the Election Commission and the police."

Campaigning for Maharashtra's assembly elections concluded on Monday.

The contest for 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra is intensifying, with both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) vying for voter support. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is aiming to retain power, while the MVA hopes for a strong comeback.

A total of 43,020 voters have been removed from the electoral rolls in Mumbai following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Of the total deletions, 26,429 voters were removed from Mumbai City, while 16,591 were from the suburbs. These deletions were carried out under Form 7, which allows voters to request removal for reasons such as duplication or changes in voter status.

This update comes after the completion of the voter list revision process following the 2024 general elections.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes set to be counted on November 23.

Meanwhile, campaigning concluded on Monday for both the Maharashtra Assembly elections and the second phase of Jharkhand's assembly polls, along with 15 by-election seats, all of which are due to vote on November 20.

The contest for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra is intensifying, with the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) both working hard to secure voter support. In Maharashtra, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance aims to retain power, while the MVA hopes for a strong comeback.

The polls will take place on November 20, with the counting of votes set for November 23.

The value of poll-related seizures in Maharashtra and Jharkhand as well in the ongoing bypolls have breached the Rs 1,000-crore mark this time. The Election Commission on Monday shared that the combined seizures in Maharashtra and Jharkhand - at Rs 858 crore - were valued at almost seven times the seizures made during the 2019 assembly polls.

NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh alleges that some people pelted stones at his car on Katol Jalalkheda Road in Katol Assembly Constituency. He suffered injuries in the incident and is being taken to a nearby hospital. Anil Deshmukh's son Salil is contesting the election from the Katol seat on NCP Sharad Pawar's ticket. (ANI)

"Rahul Gandhi is not the name of a responsible person. Sometimes he shows a red colour book and sometimes a yellow colour book. Has he ever read the Constitution? I can claim that he has never....He doesn't have to give his life. The government is working as per the Constitution. He should not force us to reveal what his grandmother did. Modi ji is committed to protecting the Constitution," Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (ANI)

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "UPA and Congress came out with the idea of a caste census. I consider it a mistake that we did not implement it then. We have a government in Telangana and we have a government in Karnataka. We are doing a detailed exercise, a public exercise where we are meeting with different stakeholders and we are preparing the questions of the caste census through a public discussion."

"We have a very clear vision for the caste census. I guarantee you that when we implement the caste census, which we will do, as I have committed in the Lok Sabha and we will do in Jharkhand, it will be a huge step in the transformation and development of this country...The BJP people have no idea even how to do this, even if they wanted to do it," he further said. (ANI)

"Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren should be ashamed as he has done nothing for the development of the state... Elections give you a chance to teach Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren a lesson... Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren had promised five years ago that he would give 5 lakh jobs but no one got a government job... BJP and PM Modi always do what they say... People are ready to oust the JMM-Congress government from power," said Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Jharkhand's Ranchi, said it's "fight of ideology between INDIA bloc, BJP-RSS". "We are protecting Constitution, they are trying to crush it," Rahul Gandhi alleged.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said after Ram Mandir's inauguration in Ayodhya "it's time for Krishna Kanhaiya Temple in Mathura".

The BJP wants to garner votes in neighbouring Maharashtra by spreading hatred, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari alleged on Monday. Maharashtra goes to polls on November 20.

"You (BJP) only want to get votes by spreading hatred," Patwari told reporters in Indore on a query regarding certain statements made by BJP leaders while canvassing in the western state.

The Congress leader also attacked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who campaigned for the BJP in Maharashtra.


Patwari accused the Yadav government of snatching the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh and spending the money meant for their welfare on other works.

"Chief Minister Yadav, who is campaigning in Maharashtra, will have to tell how many guarantees given to voters by the BJP during the previous assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh have been fulfilled. Are women being given a monthly aid of Rs 3,000 under the Ladli Bahna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh?'' Patwari questioned.

He alleged "unimaginable chaos" in the byelection held in Vijaypur assembly seat of Madhya Pradesh on November 13.

"Despite this chaos, we will win the Vijaypur bypoll," he asserted.

Patwari also claimed that the outcome of the Budhni assembly bypoll would be "unpredictable".

The counting of votes for the by-elections is scheduled for November 23.

"Congress, RJD, and JMM have worked towards running the vision of Atal ji. Naturally rich Jharkhand has lagged in development...The state lagged because it was deprived of the schemes by the Central government and development...Money is being found at the residences of Congress and JMM leaders...Does this money belong to Congress, RJD or JMM? No, this money was sent by the PM for the development of the state which was looted by the people of JMM...Therefore I am here today to appeal to you all that the double-engine government is important for the state, for the development of the state," he said.

"We openly toppled the government in 2022. We walked out of the government. They sold Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena to Congress. They won the election with the BJP but formed the government with the Congress. They betrayed the people of Maharashtra. I had asked them to unite and form BJP, Shiv Sena government. They have left Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology," he told PTI.

"Everybody knows how the Adani tendering process works. Everyone knows how the CBI, ED, I-T Dept are used to pressurise people. At the Mumbai Airport, we saw an example; it's another matter that the media doesn't want to report it. But the fact of the matter is that the whole country knows that Mr. Adani is fully supported by PM Modi and whatever he wants, he gets it," he said.

"The Maharashtra election is an election of ideologies and an election between 1-2 billionaires and the poor. The billionaires want the land of Mumbai to go into their hands. The estimate is that Rs 1 lakh crores will be given to 1 billionaire. Our thinking is that Maharashtra, the farmers of Maharashtra, the poor, the unemployed, the youth need help...We will deposit Rs 3000 in every woman's bank account for free, there will be bus travel for women and farmers, loans up to Rs 3 lakh will be waived, Rs 7,000 per quintal for soybean...Caste census which we are getting done in Telangana, Karnataka, we will get it done in Maharashtra," he said.

"In the elections of 1980, 58 persons won polls from our party and I became leader of opposition. I had gone abroad and when I came back I realised Chief Minister AR Antulay saheb had done some miracle and 52 of the 58 MLAs had switched sides. I lost the post of LoP," he said.

"I did nothing (at the time). I just started reaching out to people across the state and worked hard for three years. In the next elections, I fielded young candidates against all 52 MLAs who had left me. I am proud of the people of Maharashtra that all 52 who left me were defeated," he added.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday claimed that Bangladeshi infiltrators were posing a threat to Jharkhand's culture and society. He accused the JMM-led alliance government in Jharkhand of "patronising" infiltration.

"Bangladeshi infiltrators are entering Jharkhand, marrying tribal girls and grabbing their lands. They know the art of land and love jihad. They are posing a threat to our society and culture," Sarma, the BJP's election co-in charge for the Jharkhand assembly polls, said addressing a rally in Godda.

He claimed that there were 23 lakh Hindus and two lakh Muslims in Santhal Pargana in 1951.

The Election Commission issued directives on Sunday to Jharkhand's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to facilitate the removal of the disputed post from the Bharatiya Janata Party's official social media accounts after receiving complaints from the Congress and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

The EC also served a notice to BJP Jharkhand, requesting clarification regarding the alleged breach of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Additionally, the CEO received instructions to hasten the removal of the questionable content by working with the state's designated authority under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act.

During a security check ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, police in Jalgaon city confiscated precious metals valued at over Rs five crores. The operation was carried out by Maharashtra Police and Local Crime Branch.

On Saturday, authorities set up a checkpoint in Jalgaon city where they intercepted and seized a vehicle transporting gold and silver, according to police officials.

The seized precious metals, with a total value of Rs 5 crores 59 lakhs, were subsequently transferred to the custody of the flying squad, as confirmed by police authorities.

Launching a scathing attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that the voice of the Lucknow engine (UP government) has changed as the Uttar Pradesh bypolls are approaching.

"The voice of the Lucknow engine (UP government) has changed as the elections (UP Bypolls) approach. Are they talking about any development? They say that Samajwadi people are mafia and goons. But the truth is that when the Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) leaves his house, he does not look in the mirror," said Akhilesh Yadav while addressing a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Katehari Vidhan Sabha.

He further promised that if people make the Samajwadi party win then schemes like Agniveer would be abolished and permanent jobs in security forces would be provided to the youth.

A candidate running independently in the Maharashtra assembly election has made an uncommon request to prohibit footwear near voting stations in his Dharashiv constituency, as slippers represent his electoral symbol, and wearing them would violate electoral regulations. Gurudas Sambhaji Kamble, who is standing for election from the Paranda assembly constituency, has requested a prohibition on "chappals" within 200 metres of voting stations.

The Election Commission of India's code of conduct stipulates that electoral symbols must not be displayed in proximity to polling stations.

Kamble has written to the election officer, contending that permitting voters or officials to wear slippers near the voting stations could unintentionally contravene the regulations.