Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve, who posted the clips of Shinde Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi with large bundles of cash online, has insisted that the controversy goes far beyond entertainment and strikes at the heart of the system, saying the state government now needs to take a clear stand.
Danve claimed that the money belonged to MLAs of the ruling parties and questioned how such amounts were being handled when, according to him, farmers were struggling to receive timely payments. “This is not an entertainment video, this is a video about the system. The state government needs to take a stand on this matter,” he told reporters, adding that he had expected Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate prompt action.
He also targeted the ruling alliance in a post on X, asking, “This government does not have money to waive farmers’ loans. Then how are people from the ruling party getting crores of rupees?”
What Is In The Controversial Video?
The four-second video at the centre of the row allegedly shows Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi on a video call with a person whose face is not visible, but who is seen stacking bundles of currency notes on a table. Two other clips, nine and thirteen seconds long, show the same unidentified man in a red T-shirt and jeans sitting among piles of cash, though his face never comes into frame.
Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray also demanded to know why the BJP-led government was not acting against those seen in the videos. The issue was raised in the state legislative council by NCP (SP) legislator Shashikant Shinde during the winter session, who called for a formal probe into the allegations.
Mahayuti Leaders Refute Allegations Against Dalvi
However, leaders from the ruling side have dismissed the clips as fabricated. Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat claimed the videos were morphed using artificial intelligence. Shiv Sena MLA Mahendra Dalvi denied any connection to the footage, while MLA Mahendra Thorve accused Danve of deliberately making the videos viral during the session to stir controversy.
Minister Shamabhuraj Desai accused Danve of trying to create 'sensation' rather than seeking the truth. In a twist, Thorve also hinted at internal rifts within the Mahayuti alliance by indirectly linking NCP state unit chief Sunil Tatkare to the episode, pointing to long-standing rivalry in Raigad district between Tatkare and Shiv Sena leaders Thorve, Dalvi and minister Bharat Gogawale.
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