Rahul Gandhi's bag checked by Election Officials in poll-bound Maharashtra

Election Commission officials searched Rahul Gandhi’s bag after his helicopter landed at the helipad in Amravati’s Dhamangaon Railway assembly seat on Saturday. Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was in the poll-bound state to address an election rally ahead of the November 20 assembly elections. This incident makes him the latest high-profile leader subjected to luggage inspection as part of the poll code enforcement.  

The bag search drew sharp criticism from Gandhi’s party, the Congress. Yashomati Thakur, a Congress MLA from Teosa, questioned why similar checks were not conducted on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, or Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. “Is there one set of rules for the BJP leaders and another for opposition leaders?” she asked reporters.  

Routine inspections or targeted action

The Election Commission has made it mandatory to frisk politicians’ belongings during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct to ensure fair practices during elections. While these checks are routine, they often spark political outcry. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), allied with the Congress, expressed his discontent, alleging selective targeting of opposition leaders. He noted that his own belongings had been checked twice earlier in the week – once in Yavatmal and then in Latur.  

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The controversy deepened as the opposition accused the Election Commission of bias, suggesting that leaders from the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance were not being subjected to similar scrutiny. However, videos later emerged showing EC officials inspecting the luggage of Mahayuti leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and Union Ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari.  

Congress questions transparency  

The Congress’s reaction highlights its growing mistrust of the election process. Gandhi’s bag search is being viewed as an attempt to undermine opposition leaders. Congress leaders called the move unnecessary and politically motivated, emphasizing the need for equal treatment across all parties.  

While the EC maintains that the checks are standard practice, the episode adds to the ongoing tensions in Maharashtra’s highly charged political atmosphere. With just days to go before voting, the political rhetoric around these inspections continues to escalate.