This Article is From Apr 10, 2016

Congress Accuses BJP Of Appointing 'Tainted' Leaders As State Unit Chiefs

Manish Tiwari said while PM Modi talks of probity, the BJP was appointing 'tainted' leaders in states.

New Delhi: The Congress today made a scathing attack on the BJP for its selection of new chiefs for states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Accusing the BJP of appointing "tainted leaders" as state party chiefs, senior congress leader Manish Tiwari said, "Yedyurappa ji was sacked and jailed for corruption when he was Chief Minister. The Lokayukta held him guilty but he has been promoted as BJP chief in Karnataka."

Former chief minister Yeddyuruppa will lead BJP's comeback bid in Karnataka where elections will be held in 2018.

On Friday, the BJP appointed new chiefs in politically crucial states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where elections are scheduled next year.

Keshav Prasad Maurya, a former RSS pracharak, who now represents the Phulpur Lok Sabha constituency, will be the party's head in Uttar Pradesh.

A backward leader himself, Mr Maurya's elevation is clearly aimed at reaching out to the Other Backward Classes or OBC groups who make up for 30 per cent of Uttar Pradesh's population.

"The gentleman has 10 criminal cases including the charge of murder, Mr Tiwari added.

The BJP not only defended its choice of new state chiefs but also accused the Congress of doublespeak.

"In the case of Yeddyuruppa ji, most of the charges have been dropped by the court. And he had come out clean," said Sudesh Verma, national spokesperson of the BJP, adding, "Cases against Maurya ji are politically motivated".

Arguing that even Rahul Gandhi is out on bail in the National Herald case, Mr Verma said,"Why have they allied with Laluji who's been convicted in the fodder scam and why didn't they say anything when known convict Shahbuddin was made a member of the national executive of the Rashtriya Janata Dal?"
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