MUMBAI, Oct. 23 -- Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Thursday accused the BJP of conspiring against him ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections and released purported audio clips in which its leaders are allegedly heard discussing Rs.500 crore paid to him to shape the political narrative, even as the ruling party denied the allegations and demanded a probe to establish whether the clips were genuine or AI-generated. At a press conference in Jalna district, the epicentre of his quota agitation, Jarange-Patil released the purported audio clips. HT could not independently verify the clips. This follows Jarange-Patil's claim made earlier this week that deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde boasted to the BJP leadership about channelling Rs.500 crore to the activist through his son Shrikant, effectively to 'silence' him and blunt the Maratha reservation movement. Jarange-Patil had previously challenged the deputy CM to clarify the financial allegations, threatening to make the audio recordings public if he failed to do so. In one clip, a woman is heard claiming that Jarange-Patil was paid Rs.500 crore and that his stance will work to the BJP's advantage in the 2024 Assembly elections. "The amount has been given to Jarange-Patil through Shrikant Shinde. Now, Jarange-Patil will be beneficial for us... I have a different opinion on this. If Jarange-Patil keeps targeting the BJP, it will help us in the assembly polls," the woman is heard saying, suggesting that such an approach would help the BJP gain OBC votes. Another BJP leader is purportedly heard saying that they have not been making enough noise over "love jihad cases" in Ahilyanagar and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, suggesting that local leaders, including Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, should have set the narrative. Another person purportedly suggested discrediting those who were against the Vadhavan port in Palghar. In yet another clip, people are heard saying that the BJP should push the narrative about some foreign countries seeking to create anarchy in India, citing their meetings with opposition leaders, including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. Jarange-Patil said he will intensify his attack on the government, making it harder for the ruling coalition to gain ground in the 2029 Assembly elections if it does not respond positively Meanwhile, BJP leader and cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar denied Jarange-Patil's allegations and said, "No BJP leader is related to these clips and the conversation. The authenticity of the clips needs to be verified; in fact, Jarange-Patil should have done so himself. We also need to establish who was behind the leak of the tapes, and condemn the attempt to defame our deputy chief minister." BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban said that while fabricated audio and video clips are often known to surface, "the home department should conduct a probe to establish whether the clips are real or AI-generated". A delegation of Sena leaders, including Sachin Ahir, Milind Deora and Rahul Shewale, met CM Fadnavis late on Thursday and sought a detailed probe into the episode. At separate press conferences on Thursday, two Sena leaders-Naresh Mhaske and industries minister Uday Samant-said the people in the tapes are Shweta Shalini, BJP's state in-charge of social media, MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar and YouTuber Sushil Kulkarni. Shalini denied having any relation with the tape, which, she said, "appears to be fabricated." Bhatkhalkar said, "The audio clip is completely fabricated. The voice heard in the clip is not mine..."...