The State Congress party came to the rescue of party general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh on Sunday over corruption charges levelled by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Notably, the ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh has alleged on Saturday that Singh now a Rajya Sabha MP of Congress took crores of rupees from a local builder in lieu of granting undue favours to him when his party was in power in the State.
Digvijay Singh could not be contact for his reaction on the issue. However, refuting the allegations, MP Congress Committee chief spokesman KK Mishra said, “The BJP allegations are politically motivated and aimed at settling scores with Singh violating laid down political traditions.”
Mishra further said that if the BJP had any credible evidence against Congress leaders, then instead of politically blackmailing them, it should put them behind the bars. He alleged after the names of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his family members surfaced in the infamous and biggest educational and recruitment scam of the country the MP Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, the Chief Minister was feeling insecure in his chair and this was an attempt to blackmail Congress leaders.
Earlier also an FIR was registered against Singh and others in connection with the alleged irregularities in number of appointments in Vidhan Sabha during his tenure, he added. The Congress general secretary has been demanding from the Government to handover the matter along with the MPPEB scam to the CBI for detailed investigation.
The BJP’s allegation has further intensified the political battle in the State. BJP State president and MP Nandkumar Singh Chouhan at a Press conference on Saturday presented documents, running into 160 pages, claiming to be from the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and having evidence of payment of huge sum of money to Singh by a Bhopal-based builder. Besides Chouhan, State Higher and Technical Education Minister Uma Shankar Gupta and Transport Minister Bhupendra Singh were also present at the Press conference.
Earlier, Singh had attacked Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan alleging his involvement in the MPPBE scam for admission to medical colleges and recruitment in government jobs.