Ruling parties doling out money ahead of polls: Sanjay Raut on Pune cash seizure

Mumbai: A day after police seized Rs 5 crore in cash from a car in Pune, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday claimed this is an example of how money is being distributed by the ruling parties in poll-bound Maharashtra.

Talking to reporters, Raut linked the cash seized from the car to Shiv Sena MLA Shahjibapu Patil (belonging to the party led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) and claimed that while Rs 5 crore was confiscated, another vehicle carrying Rs 10 crore was let off by the police.

Patil has dismissed Raut's claim and said he has no link to the car in question.

Raut alleged the Election Commission has shut its eyes on the matter.

The Rajya Sabha member further claimed Rs 50 crore was being given to 150 MLAs of the ruling party.

"This (cash seizure) is an example of how money is being distributed by the chief minister, (deputy CMs) Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis," he charged.

Amid the model code of conduct enforced in Maharashtra for the November 20 assembly polls, the Pune rural police on Monday evening seized Rs 5 crore from a car near Khed-Shivapur plaza on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway during a nakabandi (on-road checking).

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of party chief Sharad Pawar noted the amount seized was just Rs 5 crore, and claimed there were six cars with Rs 30-35 crore being transported from Mumbai to Sangola (from where Patil is the MLA).

"We have been saying loud and clear that this government has done corruption in every department, and they have done it to the tune of Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 crore and from that if they spend Rs 5,000 crore just to come in power, so Rs 5,000 crore is nothing for this government," Pawar claimed.

In the Lok Sabha polls (held earlier this year), people chose democracy and not money, and this will be repeated in the assembly elections, he said.

"This Gujarat-style money and muscle power would not be accepted by the people of Maharashtra, and the (opposition) Maha Vikas Aghadi would come to power," he asserted.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress, won 30 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra.