Tuesday, 19 March 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara has said that the BJP is accumulating tainted leaders in its camp under the operation lotus in the State. Interacting with the mediapersons at the headquarters of the State Congress here on Monday, Mahara said that it appears that after dislodging elected governments of the opposition parties, the leadership of BJP extended its operation lotus to induct opposition leaders into its fold. He said that the tainted leaders are falling prey to the design of the BJP due to their vulnerability.
Mahara said that Congress leader and chairman of the Badkot Nagar Panchayat Atol Singh Rawat was accused in a case of irregularities after which he joined BJP but the complainants moved to the court and on its directive cases under section 420, 468 and 467 of IPC were registered against Rawat. The PCC president said that the Block Pramukh of Dwarikhal in Pauri, Mahendra Rana also joined BJP after he was accused in a scam. He said that the Congress candidate from Chaubattakhal Assembly constituency in 2022 Kesar Singh Negi who was involved in a case of land fraud has also joined BJP. Mahara said that the wife of former Congress leader Rajendra Bhandari has been accused of irregularities in the district Panchayat works and a hearing in the case is scheduled on March 27. He said that Bhandari’s decision to defect to BJP is being seen in this context.
The PCC president said that the BJP has become a washing machine in which the tainted leaders become clean after getting washed with the “Modi washing powder”.
He said that the BJP State president Mahendra Bhatt has said that if the Congress MLAs defect to BJP then the party will give them its symbol in the election. Mahara said that the statement of Bhatt shows the desperation of the BJP. He claimed that the BJP has become desperate due to the huge response the Congress candidates are receiving on the ground.
On the defection of former cabinet minister Rajendra Bhandari who resigned as the Badrinath MLA to join the BJP, the PCC president said that the workers of the Congress party in Chamoli are actually happy with his resignation. He claimed that Bhandari’s resignation has united and motivated the workers of the Congress party and they are now determined to teach the BJP a lesson.
