Naxal attack in which Chhattisgarh BJP MLA was killed a 'political conspiracy': Amit Shah

BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and four police personnel were killed on April 9 in a Naxal attack in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

Amit Shah. Photo: ANI

NEW DELHI: BJP President Amit Shah has claimed a "political conspiracy" in the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada in which a BJP MLA and four others were killed. Shah also dared Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to order a CBI probe "if he has nothing to hide". Bheema Mandavi, who represented Dantewada seat in the Chhattisgarh Assembly, died alongwith four security personnel when their vehicle was blown up by Naxals near Shyamgiri in the district on Tuesday. The attack came two days ahead of voting in the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. Addressing a public rally in Rajnandgaon, Shah said he smells a political conspiracy in the death of Mandavi. "Bheema Mandavi's death smells of a political conspiracy. I want to tell chief minister of Chhattisgarh if you have nothing to hide then order a CBI inquiry into Bheema Mandavi's death," ANI quoted Shah as saying. Dantewada district falls in Bastar constituency, which went to poll in the first phase on April 11. The incident occurred at Shyamagiri hills when the MLA's convoy was heading towards Kuwakonda from Bacheli area, about 450 km from state capital Raipur. The BJP convoy was travelling between Kuakonta and Shyamgiri in Dantewada when it was targeted by the Naxals. The Naxals blew up a vehicle in the convoy with an IED and opened fire at the occupants. In the last three Lok Sabha polls in 2004, 2009 and 2014 after the formation of Chhattisgarh, BJP had won 10 seats in the state every time. BJP denied tickets to all its 10 sitting MPs in the state this time after suffering a massive defeat in last year's assembly polls.