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Hours before Maharashtra votes, a regional party has accused BJP leaders, including general secretary and former minister Vinod Tawde, of distributing cash at a hotel in Virar in Palghar district. 

The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has alleged that BJP candidate from Nalasopara Rajan Naik was distributing cash, allegedly to influence voters, in the presence of Mr Tawde. Kshitij Thakur, sitting Bahujan Vikas Aghadi MLA , reached the hotel with his supporters and high drama followed. The Bahujan Vikas Aghadi supporters gheraoed Mr Tawde and raised slogans. They claimed that they found envelopes with cash and diaries at the meeting venue. Viral videos show Bahujan Vikas Aghadi supporters waving currency notes in front of Mr Tawde.

BJP के राष्ट्रीय महासचिव विनोद तावड़े महाराष्ट्र के एक होटल में पैसे बांटते हुए पकड़े गए हैं।

विनोद तावड़े बैग में भरकर पैसे लेकर गए थे और वहां पर लोगों को बुला-बुलाकर पैसे बांट रहे थे।

ये खबर जब जनता को पता चली तो भारी हंगामा हो गया। पैसों के साथ विनोद तावड़े के कई वीडियो… pic.twitter.com/iqbMcGJtyQ

— Congress (@INCIndia) November 19, 2024

The Congress has shared a video from the hotel and accused the BJP of trying to use money power to influence the election. “Even top leaders are involved. The Election Commission should take note and strict action,” the Congress said in a post on X.

The BJP has trashed the allegations and termed them “baseless” and a political stunt by the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi on the eve of elections. The party said Mr Tawde was at the hotel for a meeting with party workers to discuss poll preparations. The BJP has said the Election Commission must investigate the matter and scan CCTV footage to get to the root of the matter. “This is nothing but a gimmick,” a BJP leader said.

Maharashtra votes on Wednesday in what is expected to be a very exciting electoral contest. In the last Assembly election, the NDA alliance of BJP and undivided Shiv Sena had scored a thumping victory, winning 161 seats in the 288-member Assembly. However, the long-time allies parted ways due to differences over rotational Chiefministership. Soon after, Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray tied up with the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

This government toppled in 2022 when Eknath Shinde led a mutiny that split the Shiv Sena. The Shinde Sena joined hands with the BJP. Later, Ajit Pawar’s rebellion divided the NCP ranks too. The junior Pawar then joined the ruling coalition. In this election, the two factions of Shiv Sena and NCP are on opposite sides of the political divide, making it a prestige contest.

In the Lok Sabha election earlier this year, the Opposition bloc of Congress-Sena UBT-NCP (Sharad Pawar) scored big by winning 30 out of Maharashtra’s 48 seats. The Mahayuti won 17 seats. This time, the Maha Vikas Aghadi is looking to clinch a big win, while Mahayuti has gone all out to make a comeback from the Lok Sabha setback.

The Delhi government has requested the centre to allow artificial rain in the National Capital Region (NCR) to bring down the toxic pollution levels. Accusing the centre of ignoring its earlier requests, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said artificial rain is a need of the hour and called for a meeting with the centre.

Delhi has already shut schools and stopped construction to prevent a rise in pollution that poses a serious health threat to crores of residents in the NCR. To get rid of the smog, the authorities are now exploring options like artificial rain.

Rain can be induced artificially by the cloud seeding process, which experts believe will wash away pollutants from the atmosphere.

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“Considering that air quality in Delhi has turned in severe+ category, I believe it is immediately required to consider the use of this method in present situation,” Mr Rai told a press conference today.

The Delhi Environment Minister said he has written multiple letters to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav for an emergency meeting, but there was no action. Now it is the moral responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, he added.

Mr Rai said talks on artificial rain had started with IIT Kanpur last year itself, but they had cited the need for several permissions from the central government. “We started writing to the Union environment minister since August for an emergency meeting and give the required permissions,” he later told NDTV.

He said he had written to the Union Environment Minister on August 30, following it up twice on October 10 and 23. There was neither any response nor any meeting called, he added.

Read | Delhi Air Crisis: Schools In Gurugram, Noida Go Online, 22 Trains Delayed

Mr Rai also listed the anti-pollution measures the Delhi government has taken so far, including the implementation of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan)-IV restrictions. He said experts are being consulted to explore further measures to reduce the smog.

“One of the solutions under consideration is artificial rain, which can help settle pollutants and clear the air,” he added.

Other possible measures include odd-even and work-from-home strategies, which have been implemented in the past in the national capital. Mr Rai said a decision will soon be taken in this regard.