Congress asks Vasundhara Raje government to respond to BJP leader's corruption allegations

Congress in Rajasthan today jumped into the fray over serious allegations of corruption made by senior state BJP leader Ghanshyam Tiwari against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her government.

Congress PCC Chief Sachin Pilot asked the Rajasthan Government to explain its stand on the corruption allegations made by Tiwari.

"You see, the internal matter of the BJP is for them to settle. I have nothing to add on that front. But I have said this before, it does not matter about individuals. The issue that is raised by Mr Ghanshyam Tiwari, who is a senior BJP MLA, exposes the BJP beyond doubt. There is nothing more left to be said or to be understood. He has alleged the Chief Minister and the Government to be neck deep in corruption... There is something that he knows, that people of Rajasthan know, that there is corruption at the highest levels, in three and a half years, nepotism, corruption, favouritism, illegal allegation of mines, all these things have happened unabated. So, Mr Ghanshyam Tiwari may be a BJP representative but when he says something, either the Government of the day should come out and clearly say that they think its untrue, they should condemn his statements by saying that they are false or they must come out clean and answer those tough questions," said Pilot.

Pilot also condemned the state's move for the recently passed Bill in Assembly, which allows former Chief Ministers of Rajasthan to have government houses for themselves even after leaving office.

"A law passed today may not be there in fifteen months' time when the new Government takes charge. It is not about an individual, its about the principle of what you are doing and why not Mr. Jagannath Pahadia, who is also a ex - Chief Minister. He gets almost nothing. So, its not about who gets what about houses and perks. There should be some transparency, there should be transparency in what you are doing... No other state in India has got a law passed like this and I think its unbecoming of a Chief Minister and I think, frankly speaking, it also tells me that she knows that BJP is going to lose the next election," Pilot said.

Tiwari had, while speaking with India Today, said the BJP will not get good results in next elections if Raje stays at the helm and is not removed. He has, in the past, been the Deputy Leader of Opposition and also a minister in the earlier BJP Government. Tiwari won by the greatest margin in the last Assembly elections.