The State Congress on Tuesday leveled a serious allegation against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party Government of the State that the chartered plane used by the State Cabinet for flying to New Delhi to participate in Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony was arranged by mineral baron Sudhir Sharma.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesman KK Mishra in a statement said, “Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in order to show his strength to the Prime Minister, took his whole Cabinet to New Delhi in a chartered plane. The Congress party does not have any objection in this as it advocates better Centre-State relations. Chouhan is well aware of the fact that until the new Union Cabinet was formed the expenses of this expensive travel could not be accounted in State exchequer. Accused in the infamous Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) and former minister of Shivraj Cabinet laxmikant Sharma’s close confidant Sudhir Sharma arranged the chartered plane for the State Cabinet on May 26.”
Mishra further said that the chartered plane took off from the State Capital at noon and returned in the night with all the members of the State Cabinet.
He said if Chouhan refutes the allegation the Congress then should clarify as to who bore the expenses of the chartered plane or was the funds raised through collection by all the Cabinet members. The people of the State want to know who bore the expenses of the chartered plane. This revelation also becomes important as this visit of the whole Cabinet was not official hence no question of payment from any Government head is possible, he added.
The senior Congress leader said that this also becomes important as the BJP during its campaigning for the lok Sabha elections had made black money a big issue.