'Political Mafia Kidnapping': MP Congress Chief Urges Vote For NOTA After Indore Candidate's Last-Minute Defection To BJP

Madhya Pradesh Congress president called the BJP a "political mafia" that orchestrated the withdrawal of the party's Indore candidate, comparing it to Mumbai's Dawood Ibrahim gang. He urged voters to choose NOTA

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Tuesday called the BJP a "political mafia" in Indore akin to Mumbai's notorious Dawood Ibrahim gang as it slammed the party for orchestrating the last-minute withdrawal of party candidate Akshay Kanti Bam from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency. The sudden withdrawal of Bam's nomination on April 29 dealt a severe blow to Congress's electoral ambitions in the Indore parliamentary seat, a constituency it has fervently contested for over three decades against the BJP.

Patwari, expressing his dismay over the turn of events, likened the situation to criminal activities typically associated with mafia operations. "We had read and heard about land mafia, liquor mafia, education mafia operating in Indore so far. Now, the political mafia has flourished in the city, just as Dawood Ibrahim's gang used to operate in Mumbai," he stated, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Allegations were further fuelled by Bam's subsequent defection to the BJP camp, prompting Patwari to urge voters to opt for the None of The Above (NOTA) option during polling on May 13. BJP's incumbent MP Shankar Lalwani is contesting from Indore.

"Every person in Indore has realised that the Congress candidate has been kidnapped by the political mafia. 90 per cent of the people of Indore has not liked this sin," the Congress leader remarked, as per PTI.

Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari Asks Cadre To Work For 'NOTA As Candidate'

Patwari rallied party workers, exhorting them to view NOTA as their de facto candidate. He stated, "Even though our candidate is not in the electoral field in Indore this time, Congress workers should sit on tables and chairs near every booth on the day of polling and work and consider NOTA as our candidate."

The Congress leader also took a swipe at the BJP, accusing them of orchestrating a "disgusting crime against voters" by engineering Bam's defection.

He called upon the electorate to use NOTA as a means to admonish the ruling party.

Patwari's allegations extended to the performance of the Indore Municipal Corporation, claiming misappropriation of funds. According to PTI, he alleged, "The Indore Municipal Corporation paid Rs 150 crore to contractors in the name of laying drainage lines in the city but the work was not done on the ground."

Addressing the broader political landscape, Patwari interpreted a decline in voter turnout as a sign of dissatisfaction with the Narendra Modi government. He remarked, "Earlier, the BJP used to talk about winning all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, but now no words are coming out from them (over poll victory)."

Despite the setback in Indore, Patwari remained optimistic about Congress's electoral prospects in Madhya Pradesh, forecasting the party to secure "at least 10 to 12 seats" in the state.