In a major embarrassment to the BJP, two party ministers from Chhattisgarh were seen joking and laughing at the event meant for observing condolence to former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose ashes were brought to Raipur in urns to be immersed.
In a video that went viral on social media, Ajay Chandrakar, panchayat, rural development and health minister, and Brijmohan Agrawal, agriculture and water resources minister, were seen chuckling and cracking jokes.
Both of them have come up with an explanation but have been pulled up by Chhattisgarh BJP chief Dharamlal Kaushik.
The ministers action have drawn condemnation from across party lines including from Karuna Shukla, Vajpayee's niece.
The Congress and Karuna claim that the BJP, which has not shown any respect to Vajpayee during the last 10 years ever since he fell ill is now recalling the late leader's contributions at a time when elections are at the door.
The Congress slammed the state cabinet's decisions to rename Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar and the naming the University of Bilaspur after Vajpayee, saying that the BJP is doing so to generate a political mileage in the name of Vajpayee.
Congress leaders said that they have all due respect towards Vajpayee for clearing the division of Madhya Pradesh to form the state of Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile, The Congress and other political parties in the state are spreading the photographs and videos of the incident claiming to show the true image of BJP leaders.
Similar pictures have also emerged from Madhya Pradesh before and during the immersion event.
