After three Jharkhand Congress MLAs were apprehended with a large sum of cash in West Bengal's Howrah on Saturday, state party head Rajesh Thakur stated that there is a plot to destabilise the administration, news agency ANI reported.
The Congress spokesman alluded to the Maharashtra political crisis, which concluded last month with the fall of the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet when a group of Shiv Sena MLAs revolted against the party chairman and stayed in Guwahati, Assam.
Earlier on Saturday, three lawmakers were apprehended: Jamtara MLA Irfan Ansari, Khijri MLA Rajesh Kachhap, and Kolebira MLA Naman Bixal. On Saturday evening, the large sum of money was retrieved from their autos near Howarah.
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Speaking to ANI, Thakur said, “Everyone saw how Assam became the focal point to topple governments, drama happened for 15 days and ultimately the Maharashtra govt was toppled… this indicates that there’s a conspiracy to destabilize the Jharkhand government. Things will be clearer in coming times.”
The Congress state chairman, on the other hand, stated that the situation is heartbreaking and that the state unit would submit a report to the party's high command on the topic.
“It won’t be reasonable to talk about it till the probe is done, but looking at the country’s situation… nabbed MLAs can better explain the matter. However, the incident is saddening. We’ll submit a report to our high command. No one involved is to be spared,” he was quoted by ANI in its report.
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Previously, the Jharkhand Congress accused the BJP of plotting to destabilise the state administration.
“It is in BJP’s nature to try and destabilize any government which is not theirs. The same has been done against Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s government. The only reason they were given money (by BJP) is to make the government fall,” Bandhu Tirkey, Jharkhand Congress working President informed ANI.
Following the event, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the Congress, claiming that corruption has been endemic in the state since the creation of the administration.
“Ever since their government came to power, corruption is on a rise. Earlier too, large amounts of cash were caught in Jharkhand at officers’ homes. They use the public’s hard-earned money for other purposes. Police caught them and it came to light,” Aditya Sahu, Jharkhand BJP state general secretary said.
Jharkhand's three MLAs were questioned individually last night. There is a discrepancy in their statements, according to police sources. As a result, the interrogation was ongoing at all times.
The MLAs' lawyer claimed that they were not allowed to meet with the legislators. These Congress MLAs underwent a medical examination yesterday night.
(With Inputs From ANI)