Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh has created ripples in political circles by offering security to Congress general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Deepak Babaria, after he was allegedly manhandled by Congressmen in Rewa.

Babaria was allegedly manhandled by some party workers supporting a faction in Rewa. The incident occurred last night at the Circuit House in Rewa, the stronghold of leader of the Opposition in the State assembly Ajay Singh, when Babaria was interacting with media persons.

He was responding to a query on the Congress' probable candidate for the chief minister's job, in case the party wins the state assembly elections slated for this year-end. “Either the state Congress campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia or the state unit party chief Kamal Nath will become the chief minister," Babaria told.

When someone questioned Babaria whether the party was considering leader of Opposition in Assembly Ajay Singh for the CM's job, he replied, "Whatever you understand,” and went inside his room. As soon as Babaria entered the room, some men, suspected to be workers of a party faction, followed him inside and roughed him up.

Babaria was saved by some Congress workers who allegedly were supporters of Scindia and Nath. However, Congress leaders denied that the men belonged to the party and blamed the ruling BJP for the incident.

When contacted, Ajay Singh said, "Whatever happened was not right. Strict action should be taken against those involved in the incident. The Congress workers were not involved.” State Congress chief media in-charge Shobha Oza alleged that the BJP was behind the incident.

"Those involved in the attack were not Congressmen, but the anti-social elements sponsored by the BJP," she said.

lashing out at the Home Minister’s letter offering security to Babaria, Shobha Oza said, “Instead of expressing concern for Babaria, the home minister should pay attention to and try to check rising crimes like rape against women in Madhya Pradesh," she said.