Palghar: Amid the ongoing political row over a routine check of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's luggage by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's luggage was also checked on Wednesday at the Palghar Police Ground helipad as part of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Eknath Shinde arrived in Palghar for an Assembly election campaign, where ECI officials, as a security precaution, checked the CM's bags and helicopter after they landed.

This development follows Uddhav Thackeray's expression of anger over the checking of his bags, as he questioned whether ECI officials had checked the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, taking a jibe at Thackeray, said, "During the Lok Sabha polls, the choppers of Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde were also checked, and today, the chopper of Ajit Pawar was also checked. They did not raise any questions because there was no black money... Why is he questioning the checking? Uddhav Thackeray is questioning because they have black money with them..."

Criticizing the 'bag check' incident, Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Supriya Sule condemned the incident, calling it "dirty politics."

Sule said Thackeray's bags were checked twice, while the bags of politicians in power were not subjected to the same scrutiny.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sule said, "How is it possible that only opposition leaders' bags are checked? Uddhav Thackeray's bags were checked twice, while no checking of leaders in power is done. Such dirty politics is being played in Maharashtra."

However, sources in the Election Commission clarified that enforcement agencies are strictly following SOPs to maintain a level playing field.

During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a similar issue was raised in Bihar. It was clarified then that helicopters of prominent leaders, including BJP National President JP Nadda, were checked by enforcement agencies.

Specifically, Nadda's helicopter was inspected in Bhagalpur on April 24, 2024, and Home Minister Amit Shah's helicopter was checked in Katihar on April 21, 2024, as per SOP.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, during the announcement of the ongoing assembly elections, also emphasized that enforcement agencies had been directed to check the helicopters of all leaders to ensure a level playing field.

This move aims to prevent any undue influence or misuse of power during the elections and to maintain fairness and transparency in the electoral process.

(with agency inputs)