New Delhi: There is an attempt to defame the Congress governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh through false corruption charges during poll time, the grand old party alleged on Tuesday saying such political vendetta will not affect its electoral prospects. According to AICC functionaries supervising the elections in the two states, the recent ED raids against senior party leaders in both Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh showed the desperation of the BJP, which was having a tough time.
According to the AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, the BJP had little to showcase in the state. “The BJP recently invited Congress MLA from Bari assembly seat Girraj Singh Malinga and gave him a ticket. They pick up those whom we drop. Now, the BJP has just one tool left, ED,” Randhawa told ETV Bharat.
“In a democracy, leaders should visit a state during poll time and not ED officials. The recent raids have given a message to the people that the Gehlot government has done work, but the BJP-led Central government is harassing it,” he said. The ED had recently called Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot for questioning in an old Foreign Exchange Management Act case and raided the Jaipur and Sikar residences of state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara in the paper leak case.
The AICC functionary said the raids had the opposite effect. “Initially, Dotasara’s election appeared to be tough, but after the ED raids, it has become smooth for him. The local people are now telling our state unit chief to focus on other constituencies saying they will ensure his win,” said Randhawa.
Also read: Rajasthan govt's welfare schemes being discussed across country: Gehlot
“The people are liking the welfare schemes of the state government, especially the free health insurance up to Rs 25 lakhs. The voters are also appreciating our seven guarantees for the next term. Therefore, we launched seven statewide yatras on Tuesday to popularise the seven guarantees and take the message of the party to every household,” said Randhawa.
In Chhattisgarh where Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is facing charges of being linked to the promoters of betting App Mahadev by the ED and the Income Tax department, the party had termed it a political vendetta. “Such targeting has become predictable. Till recently, it was being joked within party circles that the elections were approaching, but the ED had not come yet. The raids are nothing, but an attempt to defame the Chief Minister. A similar attempt is being made in Rajasthan, but the people have now become wiser and can see through the game,” AICC secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh Saptagiri Ulaka told ETV Bharat.
According to the AICC functionary, the party had come out with a lot of facts related to the ongoing probe by the state police in the Mahadev betting app case, but the Central government had not done its bit in either banning the app or taking action against the Dubai-based promoters.
He further said the party tried to apprise the Election Commission of India over the timing of the ED raids on Nov 6 but the meeting was suddenly cancelled. “Such raids disturb the level playing field that should be available to all the parties during an election. But we could not complain before the EC,” said senior party leader Pramod Tewari.
