After expelling Amit Jogi, Cong tells CM to act against his own

The Congress had acted a week after The Indian Express report on purported audio tapes which suggested that financial inducements could have been offered to make the Congress candidate pull out of the 2014 Antagarh bypoll, ensuring a walkover for the BJP candidate. The party on Thursday said while they had acted against those whose voices were heard in the tapes, it was now for BJP to show that it stood against corruption.

Listen: The Chhattisgarh Tapes : Did Congress & BJP ‘Fix’ bypoll?

“The events in Antagarh are shameful for democracy in Chhattisgarh. There are three Congress leaders in the tapes, and appropriate action has been taken against them. But the entire financial dealings that took place were by BJP leaders. The tapes show that those involved include the Chief Ministers son-in-law (Dr Puneet Gupta) as well as PWD minister Rajesh Munat,” said Vikas Upadhyaya, the Raipur Congress president. Reiterating the Congress’s demand for a high-level probe into the matter, Upadhyaya said, “The minister whose name has come up must clarify his role. We are considering filing a police case, and one with Economic Offences Wing in the matter,” he said.

Meanwhile, much of the political action shifted to Delhi as Congress PCC chief Bhupesh Baghel and Congress Legislature Party leader TS Singhdeo went to submit the action taken report. In the state, other leaders said they would wait and watch before making their stand clear in the matter. Like on Wednesday, there were only small protests organised in different districts against the expulsion. A Congress MLA said, “This act of expulsion was unprecedented, but until final action is taken by the Congress high command, it is best to see how things pan out. The Jogis are influential in the state, and Ajit Jogi hasn’t even spoken after the recommendation of his expulsion.”