Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA alleges threat call over question he plans to raise in Assembly; caller denies charge

Gwalior: Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Keshav Desai on Friday claimed that he received a "threat call" from the owner of a private hospital in Gwalior, asking him to withdraw a question he is slated to raise in the state Assembly or face dire consequences.

The budget session of the Assembly is scheduled to begin from March 10. Desai, who represents the Gohad (SC-reserved seat) in Bhind district, has submitted a question for listing related to the hospital's functioning.

"I have written a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav seeking action against the hospital owner Dr Amit Yadav," the first -time MLA told PTI when contacted and asked about the alleged threat.

However, the family owning the hospital outright denied the charges levelled by the legislator, saying he was playing into the hands of former Congress MLA Govind Singh as he wants to "ruin the family".

In the letter, Desai has expressed concerns about his and his family's safety.

He said he received a call from Ankit Yadav on February 26. During the call, the caller connected him to his brother Dr Amit Yadav, who confronted him about the question he is going to raise in the House regarding his hospital.

Dr Yadav asked him to withdraw the question. But when Desai refused to do so, Dr Yadav threatened him, reminding him of the famous Makhan Jatav murder case of Gohad.

"The next day - on February 27 - Ankit called me again, insisting me to write to the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Gwalior, stating that he had not raised any question in the Assembly," he said.

When he refused again, Ankit said he was risking his life and would have to face the consequences, the MLA alleged.

Desai said he plans to meet CM Yadav and the state Director General of Police (DGP), and added that he has informed the senior leaders of his party.

In 2009, Congress MLA Makhanlal Jatav, who represented the Gohad constituency, was murdered while returning from a political event.

When contacted over phone, Ankit Yadav said that he has known Desai for a long time and they have been on good terms.

"Neither I, nor my brother Dr Amit Yadav threatened the MLA. He is just playing into the hands of former Congress MLA Govind Singh who is bent on ruining our family," he said.

"If he has a proof or recording of our conversation, he should come out with it and furnish it to the police. I did call the MLA, met him in Bhopal and spent some time together, but neither my brother nor I misbehaved with him or threatened him," he added.