Chhattisgarh will soon see ED, I-T raids for housing Jharkhand MLAs: Baghel

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said his state is soon going to witness raids by the ED and the I-T department because MLAs of Jharkhand are staying in a resort near capital Raipur

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said his state is soon going to witness raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax (I-T) department because MLAs of the ruling coalition in neighbouring Jharkhand are staying in a resort near capital Raipur.

Talking to reporters at the helipad here, the Congress leader targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying it does not have faith in democracy. He said MLAs of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which consists of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, have been housed in a resort on the outskirts of Raipur to protect democracy. The BJP does not have faith in democracy. Jharkhand (ruling coalition) MLAs are staying in Raipur and we have welcomed them. Now, the BJP is protesting against it. My well wishers have informed me that soon the state will see raids by the ED and I-T because we have stationed Jharkhand MLAs here to protect democracy, Baghel said. The CM said he know if he invited these MLAs to Chhattisgarh, the Congress-ruled state will face action from central agencies. It is a small contribution (towards saving democracy). They (MLAs of Jharkhand) could have gone anywhere, but they came to Chhattisgarh. I was well aware that if I would invite them to stay here then the state would face action by the ED and I-T. But it is necessary to protect democracy. "I have been told the ED and I-T would shift their focus to Chhattisgarh and raids have happened earlier, too (in the state). Now, my sources are confirming that the ED and I-T are going to carry out (fresh) raids here, he said. Meanwhile, more than 40 functionaries of the youth wing of the BJP were briefly detained on Friday when they staged a protest in front the resort on the outskirts of Raipur where ruling MLAs from Jharkhand are staying. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) protestors reached the entrance of Mayfair Golf resort in Nava Raipur at around 3 pm before being stopped by police. "There is anarchy in Jharkhand and the law and order situation has collapsed. Girls are not safe anymore. However, the legislators of the ruling UPA coalition are picnicking in Raipur. Chhattisgarh's Congress government that had promised to implement prohibition in the state is serving liquor to Jharkhand MLAs," BJYM state unit president Amit Sahu alleged. An official said 41 BJYM workers were detained and taken in a bus to Rakhi police station from where they were released unconditionally. The JMM-Congress-RJD coalition in Jharkhand on Tuesday flew its 32 MLAs to Raipur in a bid to thwart the BJP's possible attempt to poach them amid ongoing political crises in the state, and shifted to the luxurious resort in Nava Raipur. The BJP has denied any role in the latest political crisis in Jharkhand. On Wednesday, four MLAs who are also ministers, flew back to Ranchi to attend Thursday's cabinet meeting while another MLA from Ranchi arrived here to join his colleagues in the resort. Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren did not accompany the UPA MLAs to Raipur, but some senior JMM leaders are with them, sources added. Soren's JMM believes the BJP may make a serious attempt to poach MLAs from his party and also the Congress in a bid to topple the government. Following a petition by the BJP seeking Soren's disqualification from the Assembly in an office of profit case, the Election Commission sent its decision to state Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25. Though the EC's decision is not yet made public, there was a buzz that the poll panel had recommended the chief minister's disqualification as an MLA.