Madhya Pradesh Polls: Days After FIR Against Priyanka, Congress Unveils '50% Commission' Poster Targeting BJP

Earlier this week, the BJP registered 41 complaints against Priyanka Gandhi, Kamal Nath and other Congress leaders for the party's "50% corruption" campaign in Madhya Pradesh.

In what seems to be an attempt to recreate the successful Karnataka poll campaign, the Congress on Friday launched a full-frontal attack on the alleged corruption of the incumbent BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress unit in Madhya Pradesh launched a "50% commission" anti-corruption campaign against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of MP.

Former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress MP president Kamal Nath and party workers unveiled posters that read "Ghotala hi ghotala; Ghotala seth, 50% commission rate [Corruption galore; corrupt sir's rate is 50%.]"

Kamal Nath said: "Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has cheated farmers, youth, businessmen, and others in the state. There won't be a single person in the state who would not have been either a victim of corruption or have witnessed corruption happening around him."

On Thursday, the former CM said: "Gaushala Peti Contractor Sangathan of Rewa has written a letter to the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, Jabalpur alleging that 50% commission is being consumed in government works. The contractors released the statement publicly and also pointed out that many others like them are suffering from the '50% commission raj'. The Indian judiciary has a dignified tradition of taking suo motu cognizance in such serious matters. I request the honourable court to take cognizance of this contractor's letter, provide him security and save Madhya Pradesh from the termites of corruption."

The Congress has been accusing the BJP ministers in Madhya Pradesh of demanding 50% commission from contractors to pay for construction and other works. Sharing a newspaper clip, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on August 11 posted on X (formerly Twitter): "The union of contractors in Madhya Pradesh has written to the High Court Chief Justice, complaining that payment for government work is received only after paying 50% commission."

"The corrupt BJP government in Karnataka used to collect 40% commission. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP has gone ahead by breaking its own record of corruption. The people of Karnataka ousted the government with 40% commission; now, the people of Madhya Pradesh will remove the BJP government of 50% commission," she added.

Reacting to the post, the BJP filed a complaint against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accusing her of levelling false allegations against the party. He said that the letter that Priyanka sought to cite was a fake one. Commenting on the complaint, Kamal Nath said that there are hundreds of corruption cases in the state and accused the BJP of trying to protect its image using propaganda. According to media reports, as many as 41 cases have been registered against Gandhi, Nath and other leaders over their allegations.

Congress leader Arun Yadav, too, said: "A 50% commission government is working in Madhya Pradesh. Two days ago, we raised our voices against it... We will continue our fight against the corrupt people," Yadav said.