Singla was poll manager for uncle Bansal in 2009
Vijay Singla, arrested for allegedly taking bribes to facilitate top-level promotions in the Railway Board, was actively involved in election management for his uncle and railway minister P.K. Bansal.
Sources say Mr Singla organised meetings of industrialists, traders and the Aggarwal Sabha for Mr Bansal and used to accompany him throughout the election campaign in 2009. Mr Singla was among Mr Bansal's close associates.
Despite denials and efforts to distance himself from the controversy, the railway minister remained a target for the Opposition as he was one of the signatories who decided the appointment of Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar, who took charge on May 2, but was suspended late on Saturday for allegedly paying a bribe of `90 lakh to Mr Singla.
For the Opposition, the
Mahesh Kumar, member (staff) of Railway Board who had allegedly paid a bribe of ` 90 lakh to Bansal’s nephew, has been suspended
buck, however, might not stop with the railway minister. The other person to sign off on Mr Mahesh Kumar’s appointment letter was Prime Minister Singh.
Despite his clean image, the PM has suddenly found himself the “prime target” of the Opposition. For observers, he seems to have lost his moral high ground as the scam-tainted UPA-II is now being accused of trying to shield him from the Coalgate scam.
Scalded by scandals and accused of being “too weak to lead”, Dr Singh, who had refused to rule himself out for a possible third term, could now find the doors closing on him fast. Also, two of his closest aides, law minister Ashwani Kumar and Mr Bansal, are now in the line of fire.
There are apprehensions in political circles that another high profile minister could be hit by another scam.
In a statement, 64-year-old Mr Bansal, who was made railway minister in October last year, claimed he has always observed the highest standards of probity in public life and that nobody can influence his decisions. He also sought a speedy CBI inquiry into the issue.
On Sunday, Congress Core Group meeting at the end of Karnataka Assembly elections could make the party assess the damage on allowing Mr Bansal to continue in the government or to brazen out the issue, analysts say.