Did you inspect PM’s bags? Uddhav Thackeray claims his bag checked before rally

A miffed Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday posted a video of election officials frisking his bags at Wani helipad in poll-bound Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district. Thackeray arrived in Yavatmal to campaign for the Assembly polls when his helicopter was inspected by election officials.
With the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force, poll officials regularly carry out surprise checks to prevent distribution of gifts and cash to lure voters.
The video, presumably shot by Thackeray himself, shows him asking the poll officials whether they frisk the bags of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

The former Chief Minister is also heard asking if the election authorities also inspect the bags of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah when they come to Maharashtra to address rallies.
Thackeray asked his party workers to also inspect the identity cards of the officials who checked them.
“You are following your responsibility and I will perform my responsibility… The way you inspected my bag, did you inspect the bags of Modi and Shah?” he asked.
Thackeray, who stepped down as Chief Minister in 2022 following a rebellion in the Shiv Sena by Eknath Shinde, said if the poll authorities do not inspect the bags of leaders of the ruling alliance, then workers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi would check them.
“All these useless things are going on, I don’t consider it as democratic. This can’t be democracy. In a democracy, no one is big or small,” PTI quoted Thackeray as saying.
Later, Thackeray brought up the incident while addressing a rally at Wani for Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Derkar. He said that voters also had the right to check the bags of senior leaders of the ruling alliance when they come for campaigning.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) also posted the video on X while taking a swipe at the ruling Mahayuti, which comprises of the BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena.
“We believe in equal justice for all as per the Constitution written by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Those who rule by trampling democracy have decided to defy that Constitution at all levels. Today, Uddhav Thackeray’s luggage was checked by some officials. A similar inspection of traitors’ belongings must be done as well,” the party tweeted.