Congress Dragging BJP in its Internal Fight, Levelling False Allegations Against Shekhawat: Poonia

The Rajasthan BJP on Friday accused the Congress of dragging it its internal fight between groups of two leaders in the state.

BJP state president Satish Poonia also hit out at Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, saying he levelled false allegations against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to defame him.

"Surjewala is giving statements as if he is the DG of the SOG (Special Operation Group). Congress party and its government are conspiring to defame the BJP and dragging it in its internal fight between two leaders," Poonia told reporters here at a press conference.

He also asserted that Sanjay Jain, whose name surfaced in audio recordings related to the alleged horse-trading of legislators, has no connection with the BJP.

Surjewala had dubbed Jain as a BJP leader but he is actually a Congress block president of Lunkaransar of Bikaner district, said Poonia.

He said the Congress advocates the abrogation of Indian Penal Code section 124-A relating to the offence of sedition but Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is using the same section against his own party leaders due to the fear of losing his chair.

Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria also echoed Poonia's views saying it is a certified fact that it is an internal fight within the Congress and the BJP is being dragged into it.

He pointed out that audio recordings are not authentic evidence and even the courts do not accept them.

"Phone taping cannot be done without prior approval from the Home Department. It would have been better if the Congress had verified the facts before naming Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat," he added.

Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said, "The Congress government in the state is on a death bed."

It is divided into two groups and cannot run the government any longer, he added.

Questioning the authenticity of audio recordings, he said anybody can mimic someone so well today that it cannot be verified.

He said the BJP has been saying that Congress is misusing law and taping phone calls.