Former MLA Dinakar Mane is contesting as the Sena (UBT) candidate from Ausa constituency.The Shiv Sena (UBT) posted a video on its X handle, in which Thackeray is heard talking to the election staffers standing at the helipad, seeking to know their names and postings and also asking them to show their appointment letters.During his interaction, the Sena (UBT) chief is heard asking them, “How many people have you searched so far?” On their response that he is the first one, he said, “Why am I always the first customer?” “Our luggage is being searched and checked, but are the helicopters and cars of CM Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar, Narendra Modi, and Amit Shah also checked? Are there only clothes in their bags? Are (election) observers not able to see the money distribution going on in Maharashtra?” he asked.Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Maharashtra during the day, he said, “Modi is coming today and I will send you to Solapur airport, which is shut (in view of the visit). Narendra Modi should also be subjected to this kind of checking.”Thackeray later said, “I am not angry with you, but the same law should be applied to Narendra Modi when he is coming for an election campaign.”He asked the officials, “Are you all Maharashtrians?” When they answered in the affirmative, he said, “We should live and die for Maharashtra and not do the jobs of other states.” The election authorities later confirmed that nothing objectionable was found in Thackeray’s bags.Later, at a rally in the Wani Assembly seat, Thackeray addressed the incident, advising allies to first verify the identity of individuals requesting to search their bags—and their pockets as well. The controversy surrounding bag inspections surfaces during every election, whether federal or state, with parties accusing each other of transporting large sums of cash to buy votes. Defending his party, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also questioned whether the bags of key ruling party figures were similarly inspected during their campaign activities.“Our luggage, helicopter, private jet, cars… everything is checked. They can search our homes as well; we have no issue if it is done impartially. But in constituencies where Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and Devendra Fadnavis are contesting, Rs 25 crores have already been distributed,” Raut said, claiming that cash is being exchanged for votes.
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