Infighting within the Congress has come out in the open during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly by-election in Datia, with Congress candidate Kunwar Ghanshyam Singh accusing former MLA Rajendra Bharti of taking funds from the BJP and working against the party to ensure his defeat.
Singh has urged the Congress high command to expel Bharti from the party. In response, Bharti called Singh a “coward” and said the allegations were being made out of fear of an impending defeat.
Bharti, in a counter-allegation, claimed that Singh contested the election with the consent and political support of former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra. He further alleged that people linked to the BJP handled the campaign’s fund management.
Ghanshyam Singh alleges Bharti worked with BJP
Speaking to Bhaskar, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh alleged that Bharti did not support him from the campaign period through polling day and instead worked with BJP leaders.
“Bharti received funding from the BJP,” Singh alleged.
He further claimed that a strategy was devised to harm Congress by distributing money among voters through Bharti’s supporters and close associates.
Singh said complaints had already been sent to senior Congress leaders and the party’s national president, and demanded Bharti’s immediate expulsion.
Bharti called Ghanshyam Singh ‘cowardly and timid’.
Bharti hits back, calls allegations fabricated
Rejecting the allegations, Rajendra Bharti said people who live in “glass houses” should stop throwing stones at others.
He alleged that Singh was making fabricated accusations to hide his fear of a possible defeat.
Bharti said he had been involved in politics among the people of Datia for years and claimed that residents knew who had fought for them and who had not.
Bharti makes allegations involving Narottam Mishra
Bharti alleged that Singh contested the by-election with the consent and political support of former Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra.
He further claimed that people associated with Mishra played a role in managing the election arrangements and campaign funding.
According to Bharti, Singh had earlier been reluctant to contest an election directly against Mishra.
Bharti also alleged that Singh praised BJP leaders during the campaign, despite Congress workers having protested against those leaders for years.
Ghanshyam Singh said that a complaint in this regard has been sent to the senior leaders of the party.
Bharti claims Singh offered him 2028 election proposal
Bharti also referred to an alleged conversation between the two leaders during the election campaign.
He claimed Singh had offered him a political arrangement under which Singh would contest the Datia seat in the current by-election and contest from the Sewda Assembly constituency in 2028, leaving the Datia seat open for Bharti.
Bharti said he rejected the alleged proposal.
