3 Congress Jharkhand MLAs caught with piles of cash in Bengal suspended

The Congress had accused the BJP of trying to topple its coalition government in Jharkhand after the three MLAs were caught on Saturday

Congress on Sunday went on the offensive on Sunday by suspending and filing a police complaint against three MLAs who were caught with huge amounts of cash in West Bengal's Howrah after accusing the BJP of trying to topple the Jharkhand government by offering Rs 10 crore and ministerial berth to its lawmakers.

It asserted that the coalition government led by JMM's Hemant Soren will complete its term as it is "completely secure and stable" and the coalition will fight collectively "barring a few black sheep".

After filing a police complaint, Jharkhand MLA Kumar Jaimangal claimed he was promised a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas while lawmakers were being offered Rs 10 crore and ministerial berths to cross over.

Congress MLAs Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari, who were caught with huge cash when they were intercepted in Howrah on Saturday on a tip off, were formally arrested and sent to police custody for ten days.

Also Read: BJP's 'Operation Lotus' in Jharkhand exposed: Congress after three MLAs caught with cash

The trio were suspended from the party, Congress Jharkhand in-charge Avinash Pande told a press conference in Delhi.

"The three MLAs are involved in a plot to weaken the legislative party in Jharkhand. They are misleading other MLAs. The party leadership is aware of who all are part of the conspiracy and will take action at an appropriate time," he said.

Though he did not give any name, Pande claimed a Chief Minister was involved in the BJP conspiracy and is contacting MLAs directly while Union Ministers are threatening MLAs.

In Ranchi, Congress Minister Alamgir Alam said Jaimangal has filed a police complaint against the MLAs.

"Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari were asking me to come to Kolkata and were offering money, promising Rs 10 crore per MLA. Ifran Ansari and Rajesh Kachchap wanted to take me to Guwahati from Kolkata where according to them a meeting was fixed with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma," Jamagnail said.

A section of Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde had stayed in Guwahati under Sarma's watch, as the BJP managed to topple the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Agadhi government in Maharashtra.

Countering the charges, former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi said the Congress has filed a "false police complaint to hide its own sins" and defame his party. "This is shameful and ridiculous. They do not trust their own MLAs. They are trying to hide the corruption and misdeeds of their MLAs," he said.

Pande alleged that democracy is being "shredded to pieces" as democratically elected governments are being destabilised in a brazen manner by the BJP.

"Efforts being made from the last two years to destabilise the government in Jharkhand and from time to time legislators are contacted, threatened and enticed," said.

Congress General secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Saturday, "the BJP's 'Operation Lotus' in Jharkhand stands exposed tonight in Howrah. The game plan of 'Hum Do' in Delhi is to do in Jharkhand what they did in Maharashtra by installing E-D duo."