MP civic poll victory proves Congress' Vyapam campaign fabricated: BJP

Results of Rajasthan civic polls would also go on to punch holes in campaign against Vasundhara Raje

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said the party's victory in the Madhya Pradesh civic and panchayat polls, results for which were announced Sunday, have vindicated its stand that Congress charges on the 'Vyapam' scam against Shivraj Singh Chouhan government were "fabricated". The elections were held on August 12.

The party claimed the results of the Rajasthan civic body polls, to be announced on Thursday, would also go on to punch holes in the Congress campaign against Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

The Congress had ensured a washout of the Monsoon session of Parliament to demand the resignations of Chouhan for the Vyapam scam and Raje for her business links with former Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi. The voting for civic body elections took place in Rajasthan on Monday.

The BJP underlined the rout of the Congress in the local body elections. BJP vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who is also in charge of the state, and Madhya Pradesh BJP president Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan said the "taint" Congress tried to throw at Chouhan has been cleaned by people. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted: "Happy about civic polls results in Madhya Pradesh. Big slap in the face of Congress for mud-slinging against @ChouhanShivraj."

Elections to 10 zila parishads were held after the row over Vyapam scam erupted and BJP won 8 out of it while Congress was reduced to one from the six it held, Sahasrabuddhe said. He said the Congress campaign in Parliament on Vyapam failed to find an echo among the masses.

BJP registered victories in Morena, Ujjain, Harda, Chakghat in Rewa district, Bhainsdehi in Betul district, Kotar in Satna, Suwasara in Mandsaur and Vidisha municipal bodies. A Congress and an Independent candidate were elected as president of municipalities in Sarangpur in Rajgarh district and Guhwara in Chhattarpur district respectively.

BJP had swept the civic polls held in the state earlier this year. Elections in the aforementioned 10 municipal bodies could not be held then due to various reasons.