As for the BJP was concerned it found itself in an embarrassing position when Congress made some serious allegations against Kailash Vijayvargiya, national general secretary of the BJP. Mr. Vijayvargiya is the BJP candidate for one of the Indore assembly constituency. The Congress made a sensational disclosure when it announced that it would move Madhya Pradesh high court and complain to the Chief Election Commissioner against the returning officer of Indore-I constituency for accepting the nomination form of Vijayvargiya. although he withheld information on two of his pending cases.

Congress MLA from Indore-I Sanjay Shukla has submitted a complaint to the Election commission and demanded that Vijayvargiya’s nomination be cancelled for filling a ‘false’ affidavit. Congress national spokesperson Charan Singh Sapra said in Indore.

Vijayvargiya, the BJP candidate for Indore-I is alleged to have not disclosed two cases – one, relating to a gang rape complaint in West Bengal and the other a permanent warrant issued by a Chhattisgarh court – in his election affidavit. It passed scrutiny on Tuesday. Asked about the Bengal case Vijayvargiya had said at a press meet on Tuesday “who remembers all the cases?” And on the Chhattisgarh case he said he never received any summons.

On Wednesday state Congress media in charge KK Mishra said that Vijayvargiya’s plea that he “doesn’t remember” the alleged gang-rape case doesn’t hold. It’s Vijayvargiya who moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta high court order, which had asked a district court to reconsider its decision after it dismissed the private complaint lodged by the woman against the BJP leader and two others, Mishra said at a press conference. The Congress leader said that the woman had filed a complaint in the chief judicial magistrate court under CrPC section 153 naming Vijayvargiya, Pradeep Joshi and Jishnu Basu as the accused.

The court rejected her application. She approached the high court, which asked the district court to reconsider its decision within seven days. The district court heard the case again and ordered police to register a case against the accused under IPC section 417, 376, 406, 313 and 120(b). Vijayvargiya appealed against the high court order in Supreme Court which maintained the HC decision. All this shows that he very well remembers the case and deliberately hid the information in his affidavit, which is a crime.” Mishra said. He also said that a court in Durg, Chhattisgarh, has declared Vijayvargiya an ‘absconder’ and issued a permanent arrest warrant against him.

“The Congress had raised objections over his nomination but under political pressure, the district returning officer accepted the nomination. Now, the party will take up the issue with the CEO and the Election Commission of India for cancellation of his nomination papers” Mishra added.

In Indore, Congress national spokesperson Charan Singh Sapra alleged that the Indore election office was hand-in-gloves with Vijayvargiya. “We are lodging a complaint against the district election officer with the CEC for ignoring the fact that Vijayvargiya is an absconder in a case registered against him in Chhattisgarh and that he has charges of gang rape, both of which he hid in his affidavit”. Reacting to the allegations, Vijayvargiya had accused Congress of doing “dirty politics”. He said the Congress dug up the Durg case, which was filed by in the 1990s by Congress leader Kanak Tiwari. “I have contested seven elections – six assembly polls and one for mayor. Nobody came with the case, now they have got it to get my form cancelled. Bhai, play fair politics. Contest face-to-face” he said.

Thursday was the last day for withdrawal. Despite persuasion several Congress and BJP leaders refused to withdraw and remained in the field. Harshwardhan Singh Chouhan, son of former state president of the BJP the late Nand Kumar Singh Chouhan, resigned from the party. He is contesting the election as an independent candidate.

In many seats, the BSP, SP and independent candidates are in a position to damage the prospects of the candidates of the two key parties in many seats. Against this backdrop the BJP and the Congress are making fresh strategies to ensure the victory of their candidates. (IPA Service)