New Delhi: BJP Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Anurag Thakur questioned the Congress leadership over allegations that ministerial positions and political stature were allegedly linked to financial “offerings” made to the High Command.
Addressing the media in New Delhi, Thakur said serious allegations had emerged from alleged audio conversations involving Congress leaders, including a claim that around 80 per cent of ministers were appointed on the basis of such alleged offerings.
Thakur said the allegations were not his own and demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge come forward with answers.
“Who made these offerings to the High Command, when and where were they made, and in exchange for how many ministerial positions?” he asked.
The former Union Minister questioned the manner in which positions are allegedly distributed within the Congress, claiming that merit has been pushed aside in favour of what he described as a “pay-off culture”.
Thakur also raised questions over cabinet appointments in Karnataka, referring to allegations connected with the Valmiki scheme and an Enforcement Directorate case. He questioned why a person facing allegations in connection with the case was allegedly given a place in the new cabinet.
He further asked whether money allegedly misappropriated from funds meant for welfare schemes for the poor was used to make any such offering to the party High Command.
Thakur also questioned why senior Congress leader H.K. Patil was not included in the cabinet. He asked whether the reason for his exclusion was connected to an alleged failure to make the requisite “offering” to the High Command.
The BJP leader said the allegations were particularly serious because they were allegedly coming from within the Congress itself. He demanded that Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, the Congress in-charge and the party’s national general secretary (organisation) respond to the claims.
Thakur also alleged that accusations regarding payments for positions in Congress governments had surfaced in the past. He claimed that the latest allegations had brought the issue into sharper focus because they were purportedly being discussed by Congress leaders themselves.
He said the Congress leadership could not remain silent on allegations involving the appointment of ministers and distribution of political positions and should provide a clear explanation to the public.
