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Raj Purohit, was caught in a sting operation questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah’s style of functioning. File photo

In a major embarrassment to the BJP, one of its senior-most legislators from Maharashtra, Raj Purohit, was caught in a sting operation questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah’s style of functioning.

He was also caught saying how the business community was drifting away from the party because of its policies. The revelation came as a major jolt to Purohit himself, who was one of the probables for a ministry during the Maharashtra Cabinet expansion.

It also means more trouble for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is already reeling under various problems: the Rs 206-crore anganwadi scam in which the name of late Gopinath Munde’s daughter and Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja figures, the alleged fake educational qualifications of senior ministers Vinod Tawde and Babanrao Lonikar, and Mumbai Police chief Rakesh Maria’s July 2014 meeting with IPL ex-chief Lalit Modi in London.

“There is no collective decision-making in the BJP. It’s a fraud. Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are the two power-centres in the country. Such a democracy is meaningless. They are calling the shots,” Purohit was heard saying in a video aired by local news channels.

Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Patil Danve has called for CDs of the conversation, and also summoned the five-time MLA and former minister for an explanation. If Patil Danve is not satisfied, and there is a prima facie case against Purohit, the party may act against him.

The BJP veteran is highly-networked with the business community and traders, and has been their voice.

Black money

On the Centre’s move to unearth black money and come out with a new law on it, Purohit was heard saying: “Half the country’s economy runs on black money. I interact daily with top businessmen. Don’t interfere in everything. Let things continue as they are.”

Purohit was also seen in the video accusing Fadnavis being in a nexus with the builders’ lobby, which he claimed is represented by party colleague and MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

“He used money power and prevented me from being made a minister. I am among the senior-most ministers, probably second after (Revenue Minister) Eknath Khadse,” he said, adding that injustice had been done to him.

BJP firms up defence, says Raje did no wrong

Party claims Lalit Modi was not declared fugitive

The BJP on Friday argued that beleaguered Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s confidential statement backing Lalit Modi’s immigration plea was not a legal document as she did not testify before a UK court. 

The party decided to come up with a more structured response to the charges levelled against Raje after a team of lawyers was put together here to prepare her defence.

Raje has been avoiding the media ever since the controversy broke out.   In Jaipur, the BJP’s Rajasthan unit chief Ashok Parnami said that former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was not declared a fugitive and hence the Opposition’s criticism was “misplaced.”

Modi was never declared an absconder but a “Light Blue” notice was issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence at the behest of the Enforcement Directorate after he left the country in 2010, said Parnami.

“By levelling such allegations, the Congress is indulging in political vendetta against her and is targeting the decades-old family relations between her and Lalit Modi,” Parnami added.

A senior BJP leader said that Raje has put her side of the story before the party central leadership.

She contended that after Modi swayed her to sign the deposition, she had an after thought which was visible in her subsequent decision not to testify before a London court, the leader added.

The BJP has emphasised that she supported Modi because he was politically hounded by the state Congress regime for his proximity to Raje.

The party also did not find any “wrongdoing” in Raje’s plea invoking a UK rule that gave her liberty to hold back her statement from Indian authorities. A BJP leader elaborated that the witness protection laws allow a person to conceal his/her identity.

In Delhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah to discuss the legal implications and the political fallout of the controversy. Shah later called on the prime minister in the evening to discuss the issue.