The first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7.
The BJP today alleged that the Congress is using 'hawala money' from the Mahadev betting app to finance its election campaign in Chhattisgarh. The party accused Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of receiving over Rs 500 crore in kickbacks from the app's promoters.
A courier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate with Rs 5 crore has claimed that the promoters of an illegal app have paid Rs 508 crore to Mr Baghel.
"It is clear that the BJP cannot fight on its own, therefore seeking the help of central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department (IT) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)," Chief Minister Baghel told NDTV. "Whoever has sent the courier, why aren't you (BJP) catching him? Why is that person not being arrested? This means that the person responsible has colluded with both the BJP and the ED."
"This is nothing but an attempt to tarnish my image. I have said this before, they will engage in corruption, but it is us (Opposition) who will get the blame," he added.
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said it was his government that initiated a probe into the Mahadev betting app scam.
"We started the investigation into the Mahadev app scam and arrested several people. We not only wrote to the Centre but also to other states to carry out strict probes to arrest those involved in the scam. But the Centre did not cooperate," Mr Baghel told NDTV. "The Centre should come clear about what sort of a deal they have struck and explain why the main culprits are not being arrested."
The first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7 and the second phase is scheduled for November 17.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani both hit out at Congress and Mr Baghel today after his name emerged in the scam.
PM Modi, addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh today, said Congress hasn't even spared 'Mahadev', which is one of the names of Lord Shiva. While Ms Irani alleged that Mr Baghel has redefined corruption and asserted that the "overwhelming" evidence, including from the states not ruled by the BJP, has indicted the Congress leadership too.
The Congress today alleged that the BJP is using the ED as a pawn to tarnish Mr Baghel's image. The party asserted that the people of the state would punish such tactics in the upcoming assembly election.