WhatsApp Clip of Phone Call Lands Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Trouble

Bhopal:  An audio clip of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has gone viral on WhatsApp and has been brought to the Election Commission’s notice as a poll code violation. Mr Chouhan is heard promising in a phone conversation to “take good care” of a BJP leader if he supports the party’s candidate for assembly by-polls even though he was passed over.

“The ticket is done now…I will take care of you, but just make sure that we win,” says the voice purported to be that of the Chief Minister in the three-minute clip of a phone conversation.

Then he adds: “Bana doonga tumhe (I will make you).” The Congress alleges that he was promising the leader a good government position.

Mr Chouhan seems to tell the party leader that he did deserve to be the candidate, but still asks him to contest as if it were his own election.

He promises that after the election, the leader will be honoured. “I will make sure you are in a better situation than now. Just don’t spare any effort to win in the next three days,” Mr Chouhan seems to say.

The leader replies: “Don’t worry, we will put all our strength into campaigning. We won’t spare any effort.”

The by-election is taking place at Garoth, after the seat fell vacant following the death of a legislator. The local leader Rajesh Choudhary was believed to be a shoo-in but another leader, Chander Singh Sisodiya, was named the by-poll candidate.

The audio clip is believed to be from a phone call between Mr Choudhary and the three-time Chief Minister.

After the recording went viral, the Congress candidate from Garoth complained to the police that the Chief Minister has violated the model code of conduct.

“The Election Commission should examine the audio tape. This is BJP’s style of functioning, this is how it cooks votes,” senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said.