BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde has filed a defamation case against senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for their allegation against him of distributing money to voters.

In an X post, Tawde said: "I have filed a defamation case against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and their party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for their baseless allegations in the Nallasopara case."

"Despite their attempts to tarnish my image and that of the BJP, the truth is clear – the alleged ₹5 crore was never recovered in the investigation by the Election Commission and the police," he said.

He further said: "This case exposes the Congress's low-level politics and their desperate attempts to mislead the nation. The BJP stands tall, backed by truth and the people's trust!"

The cash-for-votes row emerged in recent times ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Hitendra Thakur recently alleged that  Tawde distributed money to voters in a constituency located in  Palghar district.

Tawde had rejected the charges against him.