Congress today demanded sacking of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and pressed for probe by a Supreme Court judge after audio tapes emerged suggesting financial inducements behind the party's candidate withdrawing from an assembly by-elections in the state last year.
The purported conversations between key political players of that time, reportedly recorded on tapes, also hints at the role of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and his son Amit Jogi.
Chhattisgarh Congress issued a show cause notice to Amit and decided to wait for a report from the state unit to decide on the action against Ajit Jogi "since he is a member of Congress Working Committee."
Recalling that the party in a petition to Election Commission had alleged inducement behind Congress candidate Manturam Pawar withdrawing from Antagarh bypolls in September last year, AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad said the tapes clearly prove that the party's allegations were correct.
AICC Communication Department Chief Randeep Surjewala said Congress had then alleged that the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister made the Congress candidate withdraw his nomination by offering inducements.
Congress had then expelled Pawar from the party soon after he withdrew his candidature for Antagarh Assembly bypoll.
"The tapes now prima facie prove the allegation. Keeping in view his tall promises of not allowing corruption at any cost, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should immediately sack, dismiss or force Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh to resign. The matter should be probed by a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court," he said.
Surjewala said since the names of Congress leaders have also surfaced in the tape, their conduct should also be probed.
"Examine the role of all by including that of Ajit Jogi or any other Congress leader's conduct. Since the Chief Minister holds a top Constitutional post in the state, he should immediately be asked to ensure a fair probe.
"Congress also assures that it will take appropriate action against its leaders after the probe finds anything against them. Congress stands committed to take action on the basis of the outcome of the probe," Surjewala said.
Hariparsad said PCC has issued a show cause notice to Amit Jogi and asked him to explain the matter within seven days.
"As far as Ajit Jogi is concerned, he is a Congress Working Committee member and only Congress President can take action against him.
"After going through the report of the state unit into this matter, the AICC Disciplinary Committee headed by A K Antony will take a call on action about Ajit Jogi," he said.
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Voicing party's discomfiture over the episode, which has raised fingers at some of its own leaders, Hariprasad said, "the news is shocking."
"But we will have to wait for the report of the Pradesh Congress Committee Chief and Congress Legislature Party Leader," he added.
When repeatedly questioned as to why the party was not asking Jogi and his son to resign before seeking the Chief Minister's resignation, the Congress spokesperson argued that Raman Singh is the one who is ruling the state as Chief Minister.
"We have demanded a report from the state unit. We are carrying out an internal enquiry. But this matter is bigger than mere an internal inquiry. Whether the BJP acts after the probe report or not, we will definitely act," Surjewala said.
The tapes carry several phone conversations purportedly between former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi and Chief Minister Raman Singh's son-in-law Puneet Gupta, between Congress candidate Manturam Pawar (who withdrew) and some others.
Pawar withdrawing from the contest had given the BJP a walk-over in the Assembly by-election.
Congress had accused Pawar of "cheating" the party saying that he was nominated for the seat only after taking his consent.
Antagarh assembly seat in Kanker district under North Bastar division had then fallen vacant after former state forest minister Vikram Usendi, the sitting BJP MLA, resigned from the seat after winning the Lok Sabha poll from Kanker parliamentary seat. Both the parties were treating it as a prestige seat.
Pawar is now with the BJP. The tapes also carry some purported conversations between him and some Jogi loyalists.
Asked whether the recent tape controversy has hit the party's image since it carries purported conversations of some its leaders as well, Hariprasad merely said, "yes, it is shocking."
Justifying the party's pitch for immediate sacking of the Chief Minister, Surjewala said, "the principal allegation is against the BJP Chief Minister of purchasing a Congress candidate with the help of some one. There is also an allegation that some Congress leaders are also involved in it.
"For a fair probe to take place, the Chief Minister should first resign. The probe should examine the conduct of Jogi or any other Congress leader as well. Congress party will take action against any leader whose name comes after probe.
