Allegations of Political Bribery Shake Mahayuti Alliance

BJP MLA Tanaji Mutkule has accused Shiv Sena legislator Santosh Bangar of taking Rs 50 crore to switch allegiances in 2022, during the split of Shiv Sena. This claim adds tension to the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, as Shiv Sena members recently protested perceived poaching by BJP.

Allegations of bribery within Maharashtra's political landscape have surfaced, as MLA Tanaji Mutkule from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Shiv Sena legislator Santosh Bangar of accepting Rs 50 crore to desert the Uddhav Thackeray camp.

The accusation has exacerbated existing tensions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, composed of the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Squabbles over loyalty and political maneuvering continue to plague the coalition.

The controversy follows last week's protest, where many Shiv Sena ministers skipped a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, criticizing the BJP's strategy as they accused it of attempting to poach party members ahead of local elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)