Digvijaya Singh on tape allegedly bribing neta to pull out of by-polls; Shivraj lashes out

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday lashed out at Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for allegedly bribing a Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate to withdraw from the state assembly elections. In an audiotape that has gone viral, Roshan Mirza, an SP candidate, alleged that Digvijaya offered him Councilor's ticket and asked him to withdraw his name from the upcoming Madhya Pradesh by-polls. 

"Digvijaya Singh called me and told me to withdraw from upcoming bye-polls. He said I will give you Councilor's ticket. I told him I won't withdraw and will contest," claimed Roshan Mirza.

Reacting to the serious allegations against the senior Congress leader, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said Congress often accused the BJP of indulging in bribing MLAs, but the audiotape makes it clear that the party indulges in the purchase of votes. 

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The kind of allegations that they (Congress) used to make against us are now being proved on them. Money is being offered in that audio clip, now it's clear who does buying & selling (in politics)," said CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Attacking the previous Kamal Nath-led Congress government in MP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "They had time for Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandes but did not have time for Coronavirus. They called us useless but we worked for people. Now the audio proves that the party indulges in purchasing of votes."

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Congress candidate caught distributing cash

The Digvijaya Singh episode comes just a day after Congress candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Ghatampur Kripashankar Singh was caught distributing notes while canvassing ahead of assembly polls. Kripashankar Singh could be clearly seen taking out money from his pocket and giving to a local. On being confronted by Republic TV, the Congress candidate blatantly denied distributing money and stated that he was giving away his visiting card. An FIR was registered against him on Thursday. 

"I am in the car right now. Did not distribute money. I don't have any money in my pocket. It's not money, you can focus and see. That is a vising card," Kripashankar had said.

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READ | In UP Bypolls, FIR Against Congress Candidate Caught On Camera Distributing Cash