Chhattisgarh Polls 2023: A video purportedly Congress MLA from Chhattisgarh sitting in front of bundles of cash has stirred a massive political row with the BJP stepping up its attack on Congress over “corruption” allegations. MLA Ramkumar Yadav, who represents the Chandrapur constituency, has refuted the allegations saying that it was a “conspiracy” to malign his image.
The purported video clip shows MLA Ramkumar Yadav sitting on a sofa placed beside a bed where bundles of cash are kept. Another man is seen sitting along with Yadav, while the face of a third person sitting beside the cash on bed is not seen.
On Sunday, Chhattisgarh BJP general secretary OP Choudhary shared the video on X, and wrote, “Will Congress accept this video in which bundles of notes are placed in front of its MLA or if it has any doubt over the video, will it show the courage to hand over the matter to CBI for investigation?”
He added that the MLA identifies himself as poor and lives in a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
“His father and grandfather used to graze cattle as well, as he claims. But see the bundle of cash kept in front of him in this video going viral on social media.
“All Congressmen have looted Chhattisgarh for five years. Congress’s culture of corruption and Mafia Raj… There is a mafia raj in everything, including fly ash, sand, coal, liquor…” the BJP leader alleged.
Speaking at a press conference later, Choudhary said that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel should show courage to accept the “truth” of this video and take action against Yadav.
Hitting back, MLA Ramkumar Yadav dubbed the video as a conspiracy to malign his image by some “feudalists who can’t digest when a son of poor becomes MLA”.
“Those who have posted this video only can tell its objective. Neither I am looking at the money nor was my attention towards it. I was just sitting there and something was being told to me. It seems it was posted just to malign my image as I come from a poor family,” Yadav claimed, as quoted by PTI.
Commenting on the video, he asked, “If I get photographed with an aircraft does it mean I become its owner? If Ramkumar gets photographed with a big palace, will he become its owner?”
Chhattisgarh elections are due later this year, along with four other states.