Indore: Sports and Youth affairs minister Jitu Patwari, who has got an uncanny knack of courting controversies, tried to lure voters by offering latest equipment worth Rs 25 lakh for gym if akhara-going youths come together and ensure people cast vote for Congress candidate from Indore Pankaj Sanghvi. Some made a video while he was issuing the statement prompting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to lodge a complaint against Patwari.
Sanghvi is also seen in the video which soon went viral on social media. In the video clip, Patwari is seen telling some people sitting in a hall that they should gather akhara-going youths and drive them to ensure Sanghvi’s wins with a huge margin of votes. “If Sanghvi wins then I will gift Rs 25 lakh gym equipment…Rs 25 lakh amount is for equipment alone. It does not include amount for building. For that we will see later on,” he said.
He also asked people if he hasn’t fulfilled his promises in the past and the video shows people saying “Yes he has.” After the video clip went viral, BJP lodged a complaint with the election commission claiming that Patwari violated model code of conduct by offering monetary gifts to voters in return of votes for Sanghvi. The BJP stated that following malafide practices of Sanghvi and Patwari in inducing the public, strict action should be taken against them. During assembly elections, Patwari who was Congress candidate from Rau, had hogged limelight when he was captured on video camera seeking vote in his name rather than the party. At that time, he had stated: “‘Meri Izzat Rakhni Hai, Party Gai Tel Lene.”
