Cash-for-votes allegations: BJP leader Vinod Tawde issues notice to Kharge, Rahul Gandhi

Pic/PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) National Secretary Vinod Tawde has demanded an apology from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for making "false and baseless" allegations against him in the cash-for-votes incident in Maharashtra and warned that if the two leaders failed to do so, he would sue them for defamation.

A day before the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 on Tuesday, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), a regional party, accused Tawde of distributing Rs 5 crore to woo voters in a hotel in Virar, near Mumbai.

The former Maharashtra Minister claiming innocence, said that the alleged amount was not recovered in the probe by the Election Commission and the police.

"The Congress only believes in spreading lies, and this incident is a proof of the party's low level politics to dent me and my party's image," Tawde said.

Along with Kharge and Gandhi, Tawde has also accused party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate after she seized on the row to accuse BJP of using money power to influence the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, which concluded on Wednesday.

According to news agency PTI, the legal notice sent to the three Congress leaders on the grounds that they were aware that they were pushing a "totally false story fabricated" by them.

"You all have deliberately, mischievously with the sole intention of damaging the reputation of our client intentionally fabricated the story distribution of money. You all have published false, baseless allegations against our client on various media for tarnishing his image in the eyes of right thinking people in the society," the notice read.

The Congress leaders were in a "great hurry" to damage Tawde's reputation, they did not bother to check the fact despite knowing the entire fact they made the false, baseless allegations, PTI stated quoting the notice.

"The entire imputation made by you all are totally false, baseless, malicious and mala fide and as our client is in no way involved in any such illegal activity and as a responsible office bearer of the national political party he is aware of his duties," it added.

Tawde has demanded an "unconditional apology" within 24 hours from the time the receipt of the notice, which was sent on Thursday, and published in newspapers and X.

If they do not offer apology, then Tawde will initiate criminal proceedings under Section 356, which covers defamation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and also civil proceedings for the damages of Rs 100 crore against the three Congress leaders, the notice said.

(With PTI inputs)