In Rajasthan, BJP targets leader of opposition over 'betting'

The ruling BJP in Rajasthan attacked Leader of Opposition in Assembly Rameshwar Dudi on Friday over a video that purportedly showed his involvement in betting.

The clip, which has gone viral, allegedly shows Dudi telling a man that he had put Rs 3 crore in betting in the recently held bypolls for three seats. The Congress had won all. Dudi denied called the allegation "baseless".

BJP legislators kicked up a ruckus in the House after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore raised the matter. Instead of directly slamming Dudi, Rathore said that there was perhaps a conspiracy against Dudi and that the leader of opposition should clarify the issue.

However, MLA Madan Rathore launched a frontal attack saying Dudi was involved in betting. Waving his mobile phone, Madan Rathore said he could vouch that it was Dudi's voice. The MLA said the video had been given to him by a person close to the LoP.

"Supposing the ED questions Dudi tomorrow, he will blame the government. I am absolutely certain it is a conspiracy to malign him and he should come clean," said Rajendra Rathore playing to the gallery.

While Dudi's party members tried to defend him, chaos prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House twice. When the Assembly resumed, Dudi denied that he had anything to do with betting or the video.

Later, Dudi told the media: "I am a villager and a farmer. I have nothing to do with betting. I don't know how it is done. I have no money to invest in betting. I have not seen the video and have nothing to do with it. Congress legislators are putting the government in a difficult spot by raising issues of common public and the BJP government is facing the heat."

"When elections are on, The way Rathore and other BJP MLAs have created a hungama and got the house adjourned reeks of a conspiracy," added Dudi.

Rajendra Rathore said it is a conspiracy by Congress, "Since the time Dudi is being considered a chief ministerial claimant, there is a conspiracy against him. This video is a part of that conspiracy. It has apparently been made by someone close to him."

Incidentally, Dudi belongs to Bikaner and that is among the famous betting centres of Rajasthan.

It cannot be denied that the controversy related to Dudi's viral video has taken the wind out of Congress's sails. The minuscule opposition that was till yesterday successfully taking on the government with the brute majority today seemed to be in a defensive mode.

‘BASELESS CLAIMS’

• Rameshwar Dudi denied the charges of being involved in betting and termed the allegations “baseless”
   
• “I’m a farmer. I have no money to put in betting,” he said