Vinod Tawde Issues Defamation Notices To Kharge, Rahul Gandhi And Supriya Shrinate Over Cash Distribution Allegations

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Vinod Tawde issued a defamation notice on Friday (22 November) to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and spokesperson Supriya Shrinate over allegations of distributing money to voters.

Tawde's lawyer has demanded an apology from the Congress leaders, warning that failure to comply would lead to a Rs 100 crore defamation suit. The notice also states that Tawde will pursue both criminal and civil cases against the Congress leaders if an unconditional apology is not issued, according to PTI.

The controversy erupted following allegations by Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur, who claimed that Tawde had distributed Rs 5 crore in cash to influence voters in Palghar district on the eve of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

A purported video of a confrontation between Tawde and BVA leaders has circulated on social media, further fueling the cash-for-votes row. Tawde dismissed the allegations, asserting that he was attending a meeting to brief local MLAs about election procedures and the Model Code of Conduct.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, used the allegations to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi questioned the source of the alleged cash, while Kharge accused the BJP of using money and muscle power to influence elections.

The incident has drawn significant attention, with opposition parties demanding action against the BJP and its leaders amid claims of election misconduct. Tawde called for an impartial investigation by the Election Commission and police, expressing confidence that CCTV footage would clear his name.