Patna: In a major embarassment fo Nitish Kumar and his grand secular alliance, the election commission has taken cognizance of a sting operation involving JD(U) candidate and Excise Minister Awadhesh Kushwaha and has asked the the concerned District Magistrate to probe the incident and submit a report at the earliest.
The sting operation video which surfaced late Sunday evening clearly shows the JD(U) Awadhesh Kushwaha receiving money from a businessman promising to support him after the formation of the government. Mr. Kushwaha, a sitting MLA and a JD (U) candidate from Pipra, West Champaran resigned after party issued a show cause notice to him Sunday evening.
The election commission while monitoring the ongoing polling in the 49 constituencies on Monday said “concerned district magistrates will submit a report on the matter soon”.
Speaking on the issue Additional Chief Electoral Officer R. Lakshmanan said “it’s not just one sting video but we are in possession of two sting operations and the matter is being investigated”.
Hinting towards launching a major crackdown on such issues the Additional CEO when asked whether the commission would initiate action against the candidates seen in the video he said “it depends upon the gravity of the case anything regarding this can only be said after probe report comes in”.
Another sting video which EC has referred to, shows RJD candidates taking money, though the commission didn’t reveal much about the video but sources said at least two RJD candidates were seen receiving money in the separate video.
Meanwhile BJP crying foul on the issue has demanded CBI probe into the matter. Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi alleged a politician – bureaucrat and contractor nexus and said “the sting operation is only one side of the coin, CBI probe could expose the politician – bureaucrat – contractor nexus. Major scam can be exposed in various ministries including road construction department”.
Launching a fierce attack against Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, BJP leader Sushil Modi said “if their government comes to power, the corruption and jungle raj will return. Why Lalu Yadav is quite on the issue, he should come forward and clarify his stand on his party candidates being exposed in the video”.
Reacting sharply on the issue BJP national president Sharad Yadav said his party took action against the minister and “even cancelled his candidature from Pipra assembly constituency. Party will field another candidate from the constituency”.
Excise Minister Awadhesh Kushwaha who resigned immediately after the sting operation clarified his stand on the issue and said he was innocent and resigned because he felt he couldn’t continue in the office on the same post after such allegation.
He said “this seems to be an effort to malign the image of my party and me; I am senior minister and cannot continue on the post after such allegations so I have resigned”.
According to BJP leaders the sting video showing a minister will become “an issue in the ongoing election campaign”.
