Mumbai, November 15:  Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that election officials at Maharashtra's Hingoli checked the helicopter ferrying him and his bags. Shah is in the state to campaign for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance ahead of the November 20 assembly polls. In a post on X, Shah said the BJP believes in free and fair elections and follows all laid-down rules and protocols. Rahul Gandhi’s Chopper Stopped From Take Off in Jharkhand’s Godda Due to Not Having Clearance From Air Traffic Control (Watch Video).

“In a healthy electoral system, we all should contribute and fulfil our duties to make India the strongest democracy in the world,” he said. The issue of poll officials checking politicians' luggage entered electoral discourse after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray filmed his bags being inspected and shared the video of it. He also sought to know if the election officials had checked the bags of the chief minister, the state's two deputy CMs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah.