Maha cash for votes row: Tawde serves defamation notice to Kharge, Rahul Gandhi & Supriya Shrinate

Mumbai, Nov 22 (IANS) Maharashtra BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde, who is accused in the alleged cash-for-votes controversy, on Friday, served a defamation notice to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate.

“The only work of Congress is to spread lies. I have sent a defamation notice to Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Supriya Shrinate for their baseless allegations in the Nallasopara case as they have tried to malign my image and that of the BJP by spreading lies. Despite their attempts to tarnish my image and that of the BJP, the truth is clear – the alleged Rs 5 crore was never recovered in the investigation by the Election Commission and the police,” Tawde wrote on X.

He further added that this case is complete proof of the Congress party’s low-level politics and their desperate attempts to mislead the nation, adding that the BJP stands tall, backed by truth and the people’s trust.

“The statements by the responsible people like you (Kharge, Gandhi and Shrinate) in public were deliberately made on November 19 knowing very well that the state Assembly election is on November 20 with the sole intention of damaging the prospects of the party and also defaming the image in the eyes of right-thinking people,” said Tawde in his notice.

“The damage is unquantifiable however, our client values the same to Rs 100 crore for the purpose of civil action,” reads the notice.

Tawde’s notice comes after the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi headed by Hitendra Thakur on November 19 accused him of distributing cash to voters at a hotel in Virar near Mumbai on November 19, ahead of polling on November 20.

The Election Commission authorities thereafter reported the recovery of Rs 9.93 lakh from Tawde’s hotel rooms which led to the filing of three FIRs by the police.

Thereafter, a joint press conference planned by Tawde and Hitendra Thakur was halted by the poll panel citing its illegality on the eve of voting.

Tawde denied charges of distribution of cash while Bahujan Vikas Aghadi and other opposition parties demanded his arrest. However, Tawde and Thakur thereafter left together in the same car.

The BJP came to Tawde’s support, saying that it was a conspiracy to tarnish his image and also of the party.

–IANS

sj/dan