Poaching row: BJP blamed for internal rift in Cong, says Union Minister

In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat on the alleged poaching bid in Rajasthan, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that there were already problems within the Congress, but the party was needlessly blaming BJP. He added that Congress was trying to divert attention away from its failures.

Bikaner (Rajasthan):Amid allegations that the BJP was attempting to poach MLAs ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday said that there were already problems within the Congress and it was needlessly blaming the saffron party.

Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, Shekhawat, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Bikaner, said that the Congress was putting forward these allegations as a diversionary tactic.

"They have problems among themselves, and are needlessly blaming us. They are trying to distract people from their own failures," Shekhawat said.

"It has been 70 years since Independence. The people of Rajasthan clearly understand these tactics now. When the time comes, people will undoubtedly question them," he added.

On being asked about the prospects of the two BJP candidates for the July 19 Rajya Sabha polls, Shekhawat said that the MLAs have the freedom to vote for the candidate they like.

Read:After Congress, BJP shifts its MLAs to Jaipur hotel

"To vote based on one's conscience is everybody's right. However, attempts are being made to suppress that right using the SOG and ACB," Shekhawat said, referring to the complaints made by Congress to the investigative agencies over the alleged poaching bid.

The development comes as the Congress is trying to corner BJP on the issue of horse-trading while the latter has rejected the charge.

The Rajasthan government has said that the state's Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Special Operations Group (SOG) of its police are also looking into this.

The BJP, however, has dismissed the developments as theatrics, "self-staged" by Ashok Gehlot and challenged the ruling party to produce evidence to back the charges.

Read:Won't influence agencies investigating 'poaching' bid: Rajasthan Chief Whip