MP: BJP defends CM Yadav as Congress escalates land deal allegations

Bhopal, June 24 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh Minister Rakesh Singh on Wednesday said there should be no objection to an investigation into allegations related to assets or land transactions if there is evidence of wrongdoing.
His remarks came amid an intensifying political row over alleged land purchases involving Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and his family members and relatives, with the Congress demanding a judicial inquiry and the BJP rallying behind the Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters in Jabalpur, Singh struck a balanced note while responding to the opposition’s allegations. He agreed that if there had been an accumulation of such assets through improper means, it should come to light.
However, he accused the Congress of attempting to turn the issue into a political campaign. The minister added that this should not be done merely for the sake of malicious propaganda, and that facts should be presented to the public, but allegations should not become a tool for political misinformation.
The controversy has gained momentum over the last two days, with the Madhya Pradesh Congress raising the issue first in Bhopal and later at the party’s national headquarters in New Delhi. Congress leaders have argued that since the allegations concern relatives of a sitting Chief Minister, an independent inquiry is necessary to ensure transparency and public accountability.
The BJP has strongly rejected the allegations and accused the opposition of launching a politically motivated campaign to tarnish the Chief Minister’s image.
As the issue escalated, state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal released a video statement late Tuesday night defending Yadav and dismissing the allegations as misleading. Khandelwal said family members and relatives of Yadav would soon place their version before the public and respond to the allegations.
On Wednesday, several ministers and senior BJP leaders also came out in support of the Chief Minister. Notably, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has not yet made any public statement on the controversy.
–IANS
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