Was offered Rs 25 crore by BJP for RS polls: MP Cong MLA

Congress MLA Baijnath Kushwaha on

Tuesday claimed that BJP leaders were offering him Rs 25 crore to lure him ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh.

Kushwaha's allegation has come a day after veteran Congress leader and Upper House member Digvijaya Singh accused BJP leaders of offering Rs 25 to 35 crore to Congress MLAs, even as the saffron party rubbished the claims.

Singh had alleged that the BJP had offered Rs 5 crore in advance and the remaining amount in part to destabilise the Kamal Nath-led government in the state.

Speaking to reporters here after meeting minister Govind Singh, Kushwaha said, "People have been offering me money and I asked them who was giving the money and place where the amount will be delivered," he said.

 

The Congress MLA identified one of the men as Pramod Sharma from Bhind and claimed that he had also noted the name of another man and will reveal it later.

Some men said they had been sent by (former chief minister) Shivraji, (Union Minister) Narendra Singh Tomar (BJP chief whip in the state Assembly) Narrotam Mishra, he alleged.

Kushwaha claimed he was offered Rs 25 crore or a ministerial berth and Rs 5 crore.

"It is not a big deal for me. I will turn down bigger offers and this is my decision. I had nothing, but I was made an MLA. What more do I need? I am with the Congress and I can't be bought at any cost," he said.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief spokesman Deepak Vijayvargiya dismissed Kushwaha's claims, terming them as "a bunch of lies".

"There is an internal fight going on in the Congress and different factions are spreading a bunch of lies to dwarf each other," he said.

Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh wants to get re-elected to the Rajya Sabha and wants to rock Jyotiraditya Scindia's boat as he is also seeking entry to the Upper House, he added.