BJP Man Distributes Money To Mediapersons To Promote Advani Rath Yatra

Satna, Madhya Pradesh, Oct 14: The local media in-charge of BJP Shyam Lal Gupta on Wednesday distributed envelopes containing Rs 1,000 in Rs 500 denominations to each of the local mediapersons who had attended a press conference called in connection with L K Advani's rathyatra which entered the state from Mirzapur, UP.

Several dumbstruck newspersons returned the envelopes to the BJP functionary. The next day, newspapers in Satna splashed photographs of the envelopes containing the currency notes.

A visibly red-faced BJP top brass on Friday went into damage control mode with L K Advani promising to get the matter investigated.

"I have asked the state BJP chief Prabhat Jha to investigate and if found guilty, the persons responsible should be punished", Advani said.

Congress spokesperson in Madhya Pradesh Manak Agrawal pounced upon the opportunity to allege that corruption was rampant in the BJP-ruled state. "The BJP man distributed the money to mediapersons saying that this would account for their petrol expenses", he added.

State PWD Minister Nagendra Singh and Satna district BJP chief Surendra Singh Baghel had addressed the press conference on Wednesday, soon after which this unsavoury episode took place. Later, the embarassed state BJP leaders said they were not aware about the plan to distribute money to the media.
From India TV