On sale in Jharkhand: votes for Rajya Sabha
Ranchi: Rajesh Ranjan, Congress MLA in Jharkhand, has a price: Rs one crore. That is cheap: for Ranjan will sell his vote to elect a Rajya Sabha candidate for that money.
The Rajya Sabha is supposed to be aw pillar of India's federalism and its members 'elders' who are to guide the nation. But an investigation by the IBN Network and Cobrapost Investigation has found that MLAs of the Jharkhand Assembly are subverting the institution by offering to sell their vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Ranjan, MLA from Mahagama, met our undercover reporter and quoted his price to vote for a Rajya Sabha candidate. He didn't even know who the candidate was. Reporter: Quote an amount, so we have an idea and draw out a budget.
Ranjan: Amounts are fixed for everyone.
Reporter: For each of those belonging to the Congress--Rs 50 lakh?
Ranjan: Yes.
Reporter: And your amount is Rs one crore?
Ranjan: Yes.
Having sold himself Ranjan offered to act as a broker and claimed he can get nine more Congress MLAs to vote for our candidate. “I have spoken to the MLAs. Keep their packets of Rs 50 lakhs (each) ready. You can hand the cash packets personally to them this evening.”
Keshav said he could even hoodwink senior Congress leaders. “We can go against the Congress leader in charge (of Jharkhand) Keshav Rao. He doesn't want us to cast our second vote.”
Ranjan was confident that Rao couldn’t scuttle his plans. “He can't because we are 10. If action is taken against us, and we don't vote, the Congress candidate will lose.”
Ranjan claimed he could even buy Rajendra Singh, leader of the Congress in the Assembly. “Add Rajender Singh's name to the list. He is the leader of the Congress legislature party. If we take him into confidence, it will help,” he said.
The reporter asked Ranjan could Singh be asked not to issue a whip to Congress MLAs during the elections. “Yes, that is why it is crucial. I have already spoken to him,” replied Ranjan.
More MLAs bought
Ranjan claim that he could get the support of more MLAs for money was no bluster. In the heart of Ranchi, at Capital hotel, he called the reporter to prove his claim.
“I have spoken to the MLAs. Keep their packets of Rs 50 lakhs (each) ready,” he said. After getting himself a deal of Rs 1 crore, Ranjan is now tying up more MLAs to cast their second preference vote at half his price.
In Room number 404 of Capital Hotel, Ranjan introduced the reporter to two more Congress MLAs, Sawan Lakda and Yogender Sahu.
Ranjan told the two MLAs the reporter represents K D Singh and he wants their second preference vote. The two MLAs “confirm” that they will do whatever Ranjan has “committed”.
“We are united--what our MLA (Ranjan) has committed to, will be done. No need to discuss again,” said Ladka. Ranjan then confirms again that the MLAs will be paid Rs 50 lakhs each for their votes.
“That's what you will give to all the MLAs,” he says. The price confirmed, Ranjan then does a head count of all MLAs who are ready to sell themselves.
Reporter: Who all have confirmed? I need to meet them. Is Gopalnath Sahdev confirmed?
Ranjan: He is confirmed.
Reporter: Anant Pratap?
Ranjan: Yes, he is.
Reporter: Shivnarain Singh?
Ranjan: (corrects him) Saurabh Narayan.
Reporter: Yogendra Sahu, Mannan Malik, Sawan Lakda? Have you spoken to all of them?
Ranjan: Yes, I have.
Reporter: Banna Gupta, Geeti Shri, Sarfaraz Ahmad and you.
Ranjan: Yes, how many MLAs are that?
Reporter: A total of 10 MLAs.
Ranjan: Rajendra Singh (the Congress legislature party leader) will also be with us
Reporter: Are you confident he won't spoil things?
Ranjan: No, he is in my confidence.
Ranjan next claimed he can even buy non-Congress MLAs and Independent legislator Geeta Koda, wife of former chief minister Madhu Koda, who is in jail in connection with corruption cases.
Reporter: Is there anyone who can give a full vote?
Ranjan: I'll get you an Independent candidate. I can get you Geeta Koda's vote.
Reporter: Isn't she with some party?
Ranjan: She's an Independent, voting for Congress. But her second (preference) vote is empty.
Reporter: How much will she demand? Rs 50 lakhs?
Ranjan: Yes.
Ranjan can buy Congress MLAs and Independents but can he “influence” MLAs of rival parties. Ranjan says he can.
He nods when the reporter asks him can the three votes of JVM's Chandrika Mahto
“You will have to give Rs 50 lakhs each to all,” he says.
Rs 50 lakh to Rs one crore--that’s the asking price for a Jharkhand MLA's vote in the Jharkhand. That's a steal for what is being robbed is democracy itself.
0 Response to "On sale in Jharkhand: votes for Rajya Sabha"
Post a Comment