The ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh lashed out at Governor Anandiben Patel Sunday after a video where she is purportedly seen telling a group of people to keep Prime Minister Narendra Modi in mind went viral.
Patel, a former Gujarat chief minister, was acting as if she was still a worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not a governor, the Congress alleged.
The video was apparently shot during Patel's visit to a solar power plant at Gudh in Rewa district Saturday.
During an informal chat with a group of local people, the governor was heard saying, "This is an excellent project. It will benefit you all."
When a person said they were happy to meet her face-to-face, Patel said, "Aisa (mauka) kai (baar) aayega. Modi sahab par dhyan rakho." (Such occasions will come often. Keep paying attention to Modi sahab.)
After the video circulated on social media, state Congress' media cell head Shobha Oza alleged that Patel was behaving as if she was still a BJP worker.
"If she wanted to work like a BJP worker, she should resign and fight Lok Sabha elections," Oza said.
"Earlier too she was seen advising BJP workers at Satna airport about how to win votes. During her address in the Assembly, she did not read the point about farm loan waiver (announced by the newly-elected Congress government) and read a BJP slogan which was not part of the written speech. She should resign immediately," Oza demanded.
The BJP defended Patel.
"The governor told people to keep paying attention to Modi. What is wrong with that? Narendra Modi is the prime minister of the country. He is PM to every citizen. She meant to say help implement and reap benefits of schemes launched by Modi like Clean India, Ujjwala, Ayushman Bharat, etc," said Bhopal MP and BJP leader Alok Sanjar.
"Such accusations (by the Congress) are just a political gimmick," he added.
"The BJP never disrespected the governor appointed during the UPA government. The Congress should also learn to respect the governor," he added.
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