Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Babulal Gaur speaks to NDTV
As Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan navigates a political crisis centred on a jobs scandal or Vyapam scam, old rivals within his party are launching new attacks.
In an interview to NDTV today, Babulal Gaur, said his boss "never consulted me....even though I am the Home Minister" before announcing that the CBI should investigate the Vyapam scam. "I may have advised him to do this earlier...you can guess my answer," he said, when asked if the chief minister has called too late for the CBI to take over the investigation from a Special Task Force of the state police.
"The scam has definitely hurt our image," said Mr Gaur.
In 2005, Mr Gaur was replaced as chief minister by Mr Chouhan. Their equation has never been an easy one.
The scam was centred on lakhs of people allegedly paying bribes in return for government jobs or for places in educational institutes.
The Congress alleges that the scandal runs all the way to the very top of the administration, including the chief minister and his wife. "Those who have something those should be worried," said Mr Gaur about whether big names within the BJP could be exposed by the investigation.
The Opposition Congress has linked a spate of more than 30 deaths to the Vyapam scam. There is no evidence so far to suggest foul play or to connect the deaths, but the Chief Minister was jabbed over the issue by another party colleague, Uma Bharti, a heavyweight from Madhya Pradesh. "I am a minister but still I am scared. I will convey my fears to Shivraj Singh Chouhan," she said to the Press Trust of India.