Heat on BJP leaders, issue of builders' nexus with bureaucrats raised in Assembly

The State congress seems to have got a bit active during the recent Assembly session when its leaders raised serious issues after a long time.

The No Confidence Motion also brought Ajay Singh 'Rahul' to the centre of political happenings in Madhya Pradesh. He made serious charges of corruption in the House.

The Opposition looked rejuvenated. Earlier, the issue of builders-bureaucrats nexus also came up. The subject of illegal mining that is causing huge loss to the state was also raised forcefully.

Congress MLA Arif Aqueel questioned Babulal Gaur that why 'He and his government is so touchy about Dilip Buildcon and the BMC commissioner Manish Singh whose name was mentioned during the Income Tax raid at Sagar Group'. Gaur replied that if roads were not constructed as per the standards, Aqueel could go to Lokayukta.

Congress wins Harda municipal election, BJP alarmed

HARDA The unexpected victory of Congress in Harda municipal election where its candidate won the post of president has alarmed the BJP. Sangeeta Bansal's win against the ruling party candidate Sadhna Jain has come as a surprise.

The biggest worry for the party is that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had campaigned extensively in the election but the party still lost. This is the first such victory of Congress in any local body or assembly election in state after a long time.

Theories doing rounds include anger against Kamal Patel apart from a rumour that the former minister didn't took active interest as he wanted to show his clout after denial of cabinet berth following clean chit in the Durgesh Jat case.

BJP can't afford to be complacent anymore. The tide can turn against it. With the party in its second term, anti-incumbency is always a factor. But if there has been a sabotage then the party must take strong decisions and act fast. Congress president Kantilal Bhuria must be a relieved man now.

Sex Sting: BJP leader's MMS scandal in Mandsaur shakes party

BJP leader Karu Lal Soni has been caught in an sex sting in Madhya Pradesh. The MMS scandal has shaken the party as images of Soni in compromising situation with a woman have been circulated in the State.

The party has decided to suspend Soni, 60, who is BJP district chief in Mandsuar. He was earlier associated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad also.

Soni has claimed that he is innocent and has been framed. He told media persons that his rivals have morphed his face to create the pornographic video clip. The incident has badly hit the image of BJP as a party legislator's son was arrested for rape in Mandsaur a day back.

[Note: Though the newspaper carried his photograph, we are being more responsible and have blurred the face.]

MLA's nephew accused of rape, court sends him to jail

BJP MLA Yashpal Singh Sisodia's nephew Dharmendra who was accused of raping a girl in Mandsaur has finally been arrested.

Dharmendra who was absconding for months, surrendered in the court. The rape accused was sent to the jail on judicial custody.

The girl had alleged that she was raped but after her complaint, the police had slapped three separate criminal cases on her. She was falsely implicated and harassed under pressure but after media reports regarding the administration's efforts to harass the rape victim, the local police were forced to change track. Dharmendra Sisodia is now in jail.

'Moderate' Shivraj wants Omar Abdullah behind bars

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is considered a moderate leader among BJP and is praised for his measured speech.

But his speech at a symposium in Bhopal was not in line with his overall image. Chouhan said that Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah should be behind bars.

Chouhan said that instead of sitting on CM's chair, Abdullah's rightful place is a jail along with Arundhati Roy and Hurriyat leader Gilani. This was a bit unusual for the MP Chief Minister, as he rarely attacks fellow politicians even if they belong to opposition or other political parties.

BJP defends ex-minister arrested in murder case

Former revenue minister and BJP leader Kamal Patel was arrested for destroying evidence in a murder case in which his son is an accused. The CBI arrested him and Patel is now in judicial remand in jail.

But the patry is backing the tainted leader from Harda, who has courted controversies in the past also. Patel was arrested in connection with Durgesh Jat murder case.

Jat, a teenager, had disappeared on March 5, 2008 after a shootout between Kamal Patel's son Sudeep and local Congress leader Rajendra Patel at the latter's farmhouse in Harda.

Durgesh's father Ramvilas Jat had approached court. Then the Jabalpur High Court asked CBI for inquiry. Patel was charged with section 304, 204 and 120 (B). The CBI hasn't succeeded in tracing the body of Duresh Jat.

But the BJP has come in support. Kailash Vijayvargiya who is already facing corruption charges has said that CBI is acting at the behest of Centre. State BJP chief Prabhat Jha is also unfazed over the charges. BJP workers and BJYM activists staged demonstration to protest the action on Patel.

The court has refused to grant him bail and he is lodged in the Indore jail. Kamal Patel is also accused of involvement in an attack on activist Shamim Modi in Harda. She had contested the election against her in the past.

BJP's Krishna Gaur becomes Bhopal Mayor

If Krishna Gaur has become the Mayor of Bhopal, the BJP should thank Congress for putting up a little-known candidate Abha Singh against her.

The voters were unhappy with BJP, which was evident because nearly 40 Congress corporators won compared to 27 wards where BJP won in Bhopal. Even then Congress' Abha Singh lost by 15,000 votes.

A stronger candidate would have easily tilted the balance in favour of Congress. But State Congress chief Suresh Pachouri gave ticket to Singh despite knowing that she was not a well-known face in Bhopal and the Thakur votes are not substanital. Her rival Krishna Gaur got the benefit of being Babulal Gaur's daughter-in-law.

BJP's candidates won in Mayor elections in other important cities also. In municipal corporations, BJP won seven including Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur while Congress and BSP won two each. In municipal councils and municipalities, the Congress comparatively fared better.

In Sagar, a eunuch Kamla Bua won as an independent. In Indore BJP's Krishna Murari Moghe defeated Congress' Pankaj Singhvi. In Khandwa and Burhanpur also the BJP won the election. But most importantly for the BJP, it has a Mayor in Bhopal after ten years of Congress Mayors.