By IANS,
New Delhi : Even though two ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh government are facing criminal charges, they will still contest the forthcoming assembly elections on the party ticket.
“We are not shielding anyone for any such criminal activity and if the charges are proved, we would not protect them. But as of now, they will contest on the party ticket,” party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS Tuesday evening.
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Tukoji Rao Pawar was arrested Tuesday on charges of intimidating and threatening an election officer. He has been charged with obstructing administrative work and intimidating an officer in her own office.
Revenue Minister Kamal Patel is also under the scanner. There are allegations against his son for the murder of a Congress leader’s son and the Madhya Pradesh High Court Tuesday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.
The BJP, which announced that it will only give tickets to people with clean slate, has even refused to accept that the incidents could bring any embarrassment to the party.
“I don’t think it is embarrassing. Many allegations are raised during election time,” Naqvi said.