Senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde has issued a Rs 100 crore defamation notice against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Supriya Shrinate over allegations of distributing cash to influence voters during the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The accusations, which Tawde and the BJP have strongly denied, stem from claims by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur.
The controversy erupted after Thakur alleged that Tawde was involved in distributing Rs 5 crore to voters. Addressing the issue, Tawde stated, “Kharge, Gandhi, and Shrinate accused me of bribing voters with Rs 5 crore. This was a deliberate attempt to tarnish my image and that of my party. I have never engaged in such activities in my 40 years of politics.”
Demanding a public apology, Tawde warned of legal action if the accused Congress leaders fail to comply. “I come from a middle-class family, and these baseless allegations have deeply hurt me. Their intent was purely to defame me and the BJP,” he added in a statement to ANI.
