MP guv ‘giving tips to BJP on getting votes’ angers Cong
SATNA/BHOPAL: A video showing Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel giving tips to BJP leaders on how to garner votes has made Congress decide to approach the President for the conduct that it termed as “public canvassing for the BJP”.
President Ram Nath Kovind is on a two-day visit to the state.
In the video doing rounds on social media, the governor is seen at Satna airport on Friday telling local BJP leaders, including district president Narendra Tripathi and mayor Mamta Pandey, to adopt needy and malnourished children of the area in order to get votes. “Start a campaign and ask others to join,” Patel, former Gujarat chief minister, is seen telling Pandey.
“Votes aise nahi milenge. Unke ghar pe jaake baithoge, godi me loge, tabhi vote milenge (Votes don’t come easy. Go to their home, sit with them, take their children in your lap, only then you’ll get votes),” she said.
Then, looking at some of the officials present there, she said, “Aap logon ko toh votes nahin chahiye, hame toh chahiye (You don’t need votes but we do),” and then goes on to add, “Tabhi Narendra bhai (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) ka 2022 ka Sapna pura hoga,” she said, referring to Modi’s “New India” dream.
Being a governor, her brazen style of giving advice to the ruling party riled the opposition Congress, with the party’s state campaign committee head Jyotiraditya Scindia ticking her off.
“Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel is publicly soliciting votes for the BJP, which is a violation of constitutional norms. The governor’s post has a lot of dignity attached to it. She should work accordingly and not as a BJP election campaigner,” Scindia tweeted.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ajay Singh said, “A person holding a high constitutional post like that of the governor does not have the right or authority to indulge in party politics. It is very unfortunate.”