- November 9, 2023
Singhdeo shrugs off Mahadev Betting Scandal accusations, predicts no impact on Congress or poll prospects – Times of India
AMBIKAPUR: Senior Congress leader and Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister, T. S. Singhdeo, countered the BJP’s charges over the Mahadev Book online betting scandal, saying that it would have no impact on either the ongoing assembly polls or within the Congress in the post-poll scenario.
“There has to be some proof for action to be taken. One cannot make allegations in thin air to make political capital out of them.People are much more mature now,” he told TOI during his election campaign in Ambikapur, where he is seeking re-election to the assembly. He was responding to a question about whether theMahadev betting scam row, raised by the BJP, would impact the Congress in the polls or if it could have any impact if the Congress retains power in the elections.
“Where is the proof? Have you seen money being transferred to anybody mentioned in the press release of the Enforcement Directorate? The press release itself says they are investigating what has come up. So, nothing has come up, and when it is still a matter of inquiry, where is the question of any responsibility for wrongdoing?” he said.
“If it is proved that there is wrongdoing in the Rafale deal in the future, will it have any impact? If it is proved that there was something wrong in the 2002 Gujarat massacre, will there be a situation that comes up? Politics does not operate on ‘ifs,’ ” Singhdeo said.
When asked about the Prime Minister and BJP leaders raising the issue of the Mahadev App, Singhdeo said that they are raising the issue, but these are only allegations, and people are mature enough to differentiate between proof and allegations. People will not trust all these allegations.
The senior Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi was similarly attacked in the Bofors scandal, and what happened later? “The Supreme Court found that there was absolutely no evidence after his death,” Singhdeo said, drawing a parallel between the allegations over the Mahadev App scam and the Bofors Scandal.
“Similarly, the BJP whipped up an alleged coal scam of Rs 1.84 lakh crore during the UPA government, but nine and a half years into Modi’s and his associates’ government, what evidence have they brought forward?” Singhdeo asked. Similar is the fate of the allegations in the 2G spectrum scam that they have propagated, he added.
“So, the people now understand these are all allegations to cloud their minds and sentiments. The voters are mature. The Kerala story didn’t work, and other emotive issues didn’t work in Karnataka. People now understand that these are all attempts to create a negative atmosphere without any basis,” Singhdeo said.
At the same time, Singhdeo said there have been cases of ED officials being arrested with money. “The entire image of the ED has been negatively impacted. Firstly, the agency is almost an extension of the BJP and is working as a frontal outfit of the political party. Besides, the ED’s success rate has been dismally low, below five percent. These are attempts to create a negative atmosphere and implicate political adversaries who don’t fall in line with the whims of the BJP government.”
Singhdeo, who was seen as the frontrunner for chief ministership after the 2018 polls, said, “I am a disciplined person and a disciplined member of the Congress party. When my high command directs me to take on some responsibility, I accept it, and I am very thankful to them for the opportunities they have given me – being nominated as a deputy chief minister, being taken as a member of the central election committee. These are all significant honors in anybody’s political career, so one must be extremely grateful, and I am sure the voters also see that the party is placing some trust and responsibility in me; they realize that this person is on the focus of the high command.”
Asked about Congress fighting elections under collective leadership without projecting its chief ministerial face, Singhdeo said, “The message is clear. We are all together, we have done good work in the government, and we would like to continue if given the opportunity again.” He added that the Congress would retain power with a thumping majority this time.
When pointed out that Congress had won all the 14 seats in the last elections from Surguja region, Singhdeo quipped, “When someone hits a triple century, he tries to reach the same figure every time, which is a difficult task as one cannot make a triple century every time. He is out to bat, but efforts continue and succeeds in scoring big. Similarly, the Congress party, which had a clean sweep in Surguja region by winning all 14 seats, will try to repeat it in 2023.”
“Our first target will be to achieve the same in the region. As I said, it is difficult to hit a triple ton every time; it is also a challenging task to score 100 out of 100 here. We are trying hard to get the maximum result in our favor if we fail to repeat the 2018 outcome,” he added.
When asked about the controversy over the purported formula of rotational chief ministership that cropped up after the Baghel government crossed the halfway mark, Singhdeo asked, “When did the Congress say that there was a two-and-a-half-year formula? Has the party ever stated such a thing? Whatever discussions were held behind closed doors, the party has never come out with any such statement. It was in the media quoting sources.”
“There has to be some proof for action to be taken. One cannot make allegations in thin air to make political capital out of them.People are much more mature now,” he told TOI during his election campaign in Ambikapur, where he is seeking re-election to the assembly. He was responding to a question about whether theMahadev betting scam row, raised by the BJP, would impact the Congress in the polls or if it could have any impact if the Congress retains power in the elections.
“Where is the proof? Have you seen money being transferred to anybody mentioned in the press release of the Enforcement Directorate? The press release itself says they are investigating what has come up. So, nothing has come up, and when it is still a matter of inquiry, where is the question of any responsibility for wrongdoing?” he said.
“If it is proved that there is wrongdoing in the Rafale deal in the future, will it have any impact? If it is proved that there was something wrong in the 2002 Gujarat massacre, will there be a situation that comes up? Politics does not operate on ‘ifs,’ ” Singhdeo said.
When asked about the Prime Minister and BJP leaders raising the issue of the Mahadev App, Singhdeo said that they are raising the issue, but these are only allegations, and people are mature enough to differentiate between proof and allegations. People will not trust all these allegations.
The senior Congress leader said Rajiv Gandhi was similarly attacked in the Bofors scandal, and what happened later? “The Supreme Court found that there was absolutely no evidence after his death,” Singhdeo said, drawing a parallel between the allegations over the Mahadev App scam and the Bofors Scandal.
“Similarly, the BJP whipped up an alleged coal scam of Rs 1.84 lakh crore during the UPA government, but nine and a half years into Modi’s and his associates’ government, what evidence have they brought forward?” Singhdeo asked. Similar is the fate of the allegations in the 2G spectrum scam that they have propagated, he added.
“So, the people now understand these are all allegations to cloud their minds and sentiments. The voters are mature. The Kerala story didn’t work, and other emotive issues didn’t work in Karnataka. People now understand that these are all attempts to create a negative atmosphere without any basis,” Singhdeo said.
At the same time, Singhdeo said there have been cases of ED officials being arrested with money. “The entire image of the ED has been negatively impacted. Firstly, the agency is almost an extension of the BJP and is working as a frontal outfit of the political party. Besides, the ED’s success rate has been dismally low, below five percent. These are attempts to create a negative atmosphere and implicate political adversaries who don’t fall in line with the whims of the BJP government.”
Singhdeo, who was seen as the frontrunner for chief ministership after the 2018 polls, said, “I am a disciplined person and a disciplined member of the Congress party. When my high command directs me to take on some responsibility, I accept it, and I am very thankful to them for the opportunities they have given me – being nominated as a deputy chief minister, being taken as a member of the central election committee. These are all significant honors in anybody’s political career, so one must be extremely grateful, and I am sure the voters also see that the party is placing some trust and responsibility in me; they realize that this person is on the focus of the high command.”
Asked about Congress fighting elections under collective leadership without projecting its chief ministerial face, Singhdeo said, “The message is clear. We are all together, we have done good work in the government, and we would like to continue if given the opportunity again.” He added that the Congress would retain power with a thumping majority this time.
When pointed out that Congress had won all the 14 seats in the last elections from Surguja region, Singhdeo quipped, “When someone hits a triple century, he tries to reach the same figure every time, which is a difficult task as one cannot make a triple century every time. He is out to bat, but efforts continue and succeeds in scoring big. Similarly, the Congress party, which had a clean sweep in Surguja region by winning all 14 seats, will try to repeat it in 2023.”
“Our first target will be to achieve the same in the region. As I said, it is difficult to hit a triple ton every time; it is also a challenging task to score 100 out of 100 here. We are trying hard to get the maximum result in our favor if we fail to repeat the 2018 outcome,” he added.
When asked about the controversy over the purported formula of rotational chief ministership that cropped up after the Baghel government crossed the halfway mark, Singhdeo asked, “When did the Congress say that there was a two-and-a-half-year formula? Has the party ever stated such a thing? Whatever discussions were held behind closed doors, the party has never come out with any such statement. It was in the media quoting sources.”
