Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur has made headlines with explosive allegations against BJP national secretary general Vinod Tawde, accusing him of distributing money during a meeting with Nallasopara candidate Rajan Naik on the eve of the Maharashtra assembly election. The claims, vehemently denied by Tawde, have stirred political tensions and reignited the term “cash-for-vote,” dominating news cycles and sparking debates about their impact on voters.
Hitendra Thakur is no ordinary politician. He is a six-time MLA from Vasai and a key figure in the influential Hitendra Thakur family, which wields considerable sway in the Vasai, Virar, and Nallasopara regions of Palghar district. Hitendra Thakur is also the head of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, a regional party that has consistently maintained a stronghold in these areas. Beyond politics, the Hitendra Thakur family is deeply entrenched in trade and business, which further amplifies their influence in the region.
However, the Hitendra Thakur legacy is not without controversy. Hitendra’s brother, Bhai Thakur, has been accused of having links to organized crime. Bhai Thakur was even tried under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) in connection with the murder of builder Suresh Dube but was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Despite such allegations, the Hitendra Thakur family remains a dominant force in Palghar district.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BVA saw three of its candidates, including Hitendra, his son Kshitij Thakur, and Rajesh Patil, secure victories. Hitendra’s political maneuvering has often led him to unexpected alliances, including support for the BJP during the 2022 Rajya Sabha election. The Hitendra Thakur family’s backing of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena played a pivotal role in the political upheaval that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Despite their past collaboration, relations between the Hitendra Thakurs and the BJP have soured recently. This election season sees Kshitij Thakur contesting in Nallasopara against Congress candidate Vijay Patil and BJP’s Sneha Dubey Pandit. As a veteran politician, Hitendra’s accusations and their ripple effects underscore the shifting alliances and high stakes in Maharashtra’s political landscape.
Whether the “cash-for-vote” allegations will influence the outcome remains to be seen. For now, Hitendra Thakur’s claims have cast a spotlight on the regional leader and raised questions about electoral integrity in one of India’s most politically significant states.
