Following the release of a statement by the top Congress brass on November 4, chairman of the Communication Department of Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) Sushil Anand Shukla has now come out in defence of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. In a press conference on the same day, he alleged that the driver arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a BJP worker.

Shukla also claimed that both BJP and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conspired together in order to tarnish the reputation of CM Baghel in view of the impending elections. The ED, following the central government’s order, quickly released a press release against Baghel without any thorough investigation and evidence.

Shukla shared a picture of the driver with the media at the press conference and claimed that he was an associate of Piyush Mishra, who in turn is a close associate of senior BJP leader Prem Prakash Pandey. He summed up saying that it ultimately leads to only one conclusion – BJP and ED conspiring to defame CM Baghel.

Shukla further claimed that the Mahadev Book illegal betting app is actually being operated with the BJP’s support and protection. Several senior BJP leaders, as well as Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, have been spotted with Mahadev Book mastermind Saurabh Chandrakar and his associate Yusuf Putti on multiple occasions.

Shukla put the ball in the central government’s court, saying that if they want to ban the illegal betting app, why have they not done it yet and why there is no action against the masterminds hiding in Dubai. He further said when the government can ban Chinese apps what is then stopping them from banning the Mahadev Book app? The lack of action by the central government gives rise to doubts about their real intentions, he added.