Itanagar: Days day after cash worth Rs 1.8 crore was seized from Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu’s convoy, the Congress on Thursday mocked the BJP saying achhe din (good days) have come for him and PM Modi.
The Congress had alleged on Wednesday a “cash for votes” scam had been busted in the state with the recovery of the cash “from Khandu’s convoy” in Pasighat. It had asked the Election Commission to register a case against Modi as well as Khandu and his deputy. This is the sign of achhe din for Modi and Pema Khandu,” state Congress president Takam Sanjoy said at a press conference here.
The money belonging to the son of a BJP candidate and a former MLA was seized from two vehicles parked in a government guest house at Pasighat, state Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) Kanki Darang had said on Wednesday night. While Rs 1 crore that was seized from the government vehicle was claimed by Christopher Perme, son of Mebo BJP candidate Dr Dangi Perme, Rs 80 lakh was found inside a private vehicle of former MLA Ralomg Borang, the ACEO said.
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The government vehicle was registered in the name of transport deputy secretary, Darang said, denying reports that the vehicles were part of Khandu’s motorcade. “This is unheard of in the history of the state that official vehicles are used to transport cash for voters,” Sanjoy said. He alleged that BJP candidate for Arunachal East Lok Sabha seat Tapir Gao is distributing cash to voters.
The BJP also purchased some assembly candidates of the Congress, who withdrew their candidature, to pave way for victory of its contestants, he claimed. “If this is the situation, where is democracy? The Election Commission should immediately act and disqualify such candidates,” Sanjoy said.
No senior BJP leaders were available for comment. Polling for two Lok Sabha constituencies and 57 Assembly seats in the state will be held simultaneously on April 11. Darang had said both Christopher and Ralomg were present at the guest house at Pasighat when the cash was seized on Tuesday night.
Christopher claimed that he got part of the seized cash after selling traditional beads and ornaments and the rest he had borrowed from his relatives. He had said he needed the money for building houses at Ngopok and Bapkota. Ralomg, a former legislator, claimed he had borrowed the money from relatives to buy a piece of land. Both demanded that the money be returned to them.
