Congress demands dismissal of Minister found violating model code of conduct

Congress urges Madhya Pradesh Governor to sack Revenue Minister Rajput for offering ₹25 lakh to booth in-charges for votes. EC registered FIR, but Congress demands inquiry into source of income & Govt dismissal. Oza questions if BJP leaders will support such a Minister & restricts comment on ticket distribution.

The Congress on October 24 urged the Madhya Pradesh Governor to sack the State’s Revenue and Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput after a video of his went viral in which he can be heard offering ₹25 lakh to every booth in-charge where the Congress doesn’t get votes.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, party spokesperson Sobha Oza also demanded that the Election Commission (EC) debar him from contesting the election for violating the model code of conduct (MCC) by indulging in corrupt practices.

Ms. Oza said the EC has already taken note of the video and registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr Rajput. However, she added that the authorities should also inquire into his source of income and how a Minister was able to make such announcement.

“The BJP and its Ministers know that they are losing the elections in MP and that’s why they are seeking votes by tempting people with money....We demand that the Governor dismisses such a corrupt Minister and he is also prevented from contesting the elections,” she said.

The Congress leader also alleged that the Minister had defected to the BJP by accepting money and asked if Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who had led a rebellion against the Kamal Nath government and joined the BJP in March 2020, would support such a Minister.

“Would they support a Minister who is making a mockery of democracy?” Ms. Oza asked.

Asked to comment on growing protests among party workers over ticket distribution in Madhya Pradesh, she said, “I would like to restrict myself to this issue. Our senior leaders like Kamal Nath ji, Digvijaya Singh ji and AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala can comment.”