EC officials check Eknath Shinde’s bag in Palghar amid Uddhav Thackeray checking row

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde’s bags were checked by Election Commission’s officials in Palghar on Wednesday.

Shinde’s bags were checked after his helicopter landed at the Palghar Police ground helipad.

The action came after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray questioned the poll panel after his bags were checked by officials. Thackeray said his bags had been inspected by the election authorities after he arrived in Latur and Yavatmal districts over the last two days.

He asked election officials if the same action will be taken against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde.

“I am not angry with [the ECI officials] as they were doing their duty. But at the same time, I have a question: do they check the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, that bearded person (referring to Eknath Shinde), the man with the pink jacket (referring to Ajit Pawar) and that deputy CM Fadnavis?” Thackeray had said at a public meeting in Wani.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said Uddhav Thackeray was trying to divert the attention by needlessly protesting against the checking of his bags by poll officials and was “seeking votes by whining”.

“What is wrong with checking bags? We had our bags checked during campaigning, and there was no need for this level of frustration,” the deputy CM said, adding that election officials followed the same procedures with his campaign team too.

Earlier, bags of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar were also checked by EC officials in Baramati on Wednesday. The Maharashtra BJP had also posted a video on X showing officials checking Devendra Fadnavis’ bags.