Alleged graft charges forced senior ministers out of Maha fray

BJP working president J P Nadda on Tuesday said denial of tickets to some incumbent ministers for the October 21 Maharashtra assembly polls showed that the party was "sensitive" towards alleged corruption charges against them. Prominent BJP leaders who were denied tickets are Eknath Khadse, Vinod Tawde, Chandrashekhar Bawankule and Prakash Mehta. Among them Tawde and Bawankule are incumbent ministers for Education and Power, respectively, in the Devendra Fadnavis cabinet.

Both Khadse and Mehta had resigned as ministers of Revenue and Housing, respectively, earlier on the allegations of abetting corruption and impropriety in a slum redevelopment project. When asked about dropping of the four ministers from poll fray, Nadda said, "This shows we are sensitive towards alleged corruption charges. The party has taken steps. This (action by BJP) shows the strong stand of the party against corruption. Our decision underscores the BJP's anti-corruption resolve and our honest intentions." He was speaking to reporters in Mumbai after the release of the party manifesto for elections.

When asked about certain tainted entrants from the Opposition camp joining the BJP fold and some of them entering the poll fray, Nadda said the BJP would stick to its anti-corruption position. "The BJP's stand is clear on such issues. We will go ahead with our current stand against corruption," he added.

Nadda's remarks came at a time when the BJP brass is highlighting "corruption-free governance" under the chief minister. The denial of ticket to certain senior leaders at the last moment had caused heartburn in the BJP, inviting allegations of oneupmanship at the cost of the veterans who had worked for expansion of the party..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)