How much ‘chanda’ did BJP take to engineer MVA’s collapse in Maharashtra, asks Jairam Ramesh

PTI, Oct 19, 2024, 5:35 PM IST

The Congress on Saturday asked the BJP how much “donations” did it receive to “engineer” the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra in 2022 through open horse-trading.

In a post on X, Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh alleged that the BJP “purchased” MLAs of undivided Shiv Sena and NCP, leading to the collapse of the MVA government of which Congress was a part.

“The Mahayuti has destroyed Maharashtra’s political culture and democratic institutions. We now know that the Electoral Bonds Scam cost Indian citizens Rs 4 lakh crore. We know that it cost Maharashtra’s exchequer at least Rs 10,000 crore. The question is how much ‘chanda’ did it (BJP) take to engineer the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi Sarkar,” Ramesh asked in the post.

“Yesterday, it emerged that the Mahayuti cost the exchequer at least Rs 10,000 crore in inflated tenders in return for ‘chanda’ for its campaign. The Mahayuti’s formation and ascent to government is a testament to its greed for power and disregard for democratic values. The open horse-trading and purchase of Shiv Sena and NCP MLAs was made possible by such ‘ill-gotten’ Electoral Bonds ‘chanda’,” he alleged.

“In addition to bribery, the Mahayuti also unleashed ED/CBI/IT to coerce MLAs and leaders into joining the Mahayuti. Evidence has come from Mahayuti leaders themselves, such as the now-MP Ravindra Waikar, who notably said that he had two options when he was in the MVA – ‘switch political parties or go to jail’,” the Congress leader claimed.

The fresh attack came ahead of the November 20 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, where the Congress as part of the MVA with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) is seeking to wrest power from the Mahayuti comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP.

On Friday, Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that the Mahayuti government privileged certain companies with infra tenders in return for campaign donations, costing the taxpayer at least Rs 10,903 crore.

The opposition party also asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari be made answerable for this.

“The entire nation is aware that the BJP brought the Electoral Bonds Scheme to tunnel funds. We have time and again highlighted how certain firms which donated to the BJP through the illegal and unconstitutional Electoral Bonds Scheme were given huge projects in lieu of buying electoral bonds. Perhaps the biggest state which was duped by this ‘chande ka dhanda’ was Maharashtra,” Khera said.

Sharing Khera’s statement detailing the allegations on X, Ramesh on Friday referred to the matter as “pre-paid chanda (donations), post-paid dhandha (business)”