Mumbai: Mumbai Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant today described as “baseless” a media report saying Rs 10 crore cash from the party's war chest for Maharashtra elections have been found missing.
Sawant alleged that this was a report “planted” by BJP. “They are trying to denigrate us in the eyes of the public”, he added.
So far, no formal complaint has been lodged with the police nor the apartment. from where this cash was reported missing, has been searched so far.
BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari alleged Congress leaders were trying to brush this matter under the carpet fearing public opprobrium.
The media report had quoted “top Congress sources” to say that the huge amount of cash was part of the war chest for Maharashtra poll campaign, and was stolen from an apartment in Prabhadevi.
The report also said the matter was brought to the notice of former CM Prithviraj Chavan and PCC chief Manikrao Thakre, but was not reported to police.
The report said, the theft came to light when Congress candidates, in the thick of elections, complained they were not getting the promised funds.
The party funds, according to the media report, reached only 137 Congress candidates, while the rest were left to fend for themselves.
It came to light only after a majority of party candidates, who had been assured “support” by the leadership, panicked when they did not get the promised funds. The party could reach funds to only 137 candidates, while the rest were left to fend for themselves.
Maharastra Congress president Manikrao Thakre denied that there was theft of party funds. “There is no substance in reports of theft or embezzlement of party funds,”' Thakre said.
The media report quoted a senior Congress leader as saying that the AICC had indeed released adequate funds, but the actual amount doled out to the candidates was meagre.
