Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Friday flagged "serious irregularities" in the health department of Bihar, a portfolio held by the BJP all through the NDA rule, and alleged that leaders of the saffron party in the state are "more corrupt" than RJD president Lalu Prasad.
Addressing a press conference, Kishor launched a frontal attack on state Health Minister Mangal Pandey, who is also a former Bihar BJP president, accusing him of "quid pro quo" with current state unit chief Dilip Jaiswal, whom the Jan Suraaj Party founder has been targeting for some time.
Kishor alleged that the health department had placed an order for “1,200 ambulances” priced at around Rs 28 lakh each, which was almost twice as what states like Odisha and Uttar Pradesh were paying. He also claimed that in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pandey had purchased a flat in Delhi in his wife's name and Jailswal helped him in the transaction.
The BJP has rubbished the allegations.
"Pandey showed his gratitude by granting the status of deemed university to a medical college in Kishanganj in which Jaiswal has huge stakes," said Kishor.
"Jaiswal transferred Rs 25 lakh to the account of Pandey's father on August 6, 2019 and that money was used in the purchase of a flat in the name of the then health minister's wife. Jaiswal even signed as a witness in the document of the flat purchased in Delhi's Dwarka," he claimed.
Even if Pandey borrowed this amount from Jaiswal, why did he not mention it in his election affidavit in the 2020 assembly polls in the category of unsecured loan, Kishor said.
"BJP leaders in Bihar claim to be unblemished, but in reality they are more corrupt than even RJD president Lalu Prasad, whom they like to attack over conviction in fodder scam cases and alleged involvement in railway scams like land for hotels and land for jobs," he asserted.
The former poll strategist said Chief Secretary designate Prataya Amrit, who was holding the crucial post in the health department when the contract for the ambulances was finalised, also “needs to explain the reason behind finalising the deal to a particular firm at an exorbitant price”.
The deal must have been finalised after his (Amrit) signature, he said.
Pandey and Jaiswal were not available for comments.
Reacting to Kishor’s charges, Bihar BJP spokesperson Niraj Kumar told PTI, “Whatever allegations he has levelled are baseless and far from reality. He is talking about Rs 25 lakh that Jaiswal ji gave to Mangal Pandey’s father, which was in fact a loan and returned to the former.
“Second, he mentioned about the deemed university status granted to a medical college in Kishanganj by the then state health minister, which is also far from reality. It is the education department that grants deemed university status to a medical institute, and not the health department.” On “irregularities” in the purchase of ambulances by the health department, Kumar said “not even a single penny has been paid to the supplier by the health department”.
“The matter... pertaining to the quoted price of ambulances, is pending before the competent court. Kishor is simply levelling baseless charges for publicity,” he added.
The Jan Suraaj party founder also raked up a recent Rajasthan court order in which another BJP leader and Bihar minister Jibesh Mishra was held guilty of involvement in manufacture of spurious medicine.
"The BJP leader continues to be in the Nitish Kumar cabinet despite the opposition's demand that he be sacked or asked to resign in the wake up of the court order," Kishor said.
The court has not awarded a prison sentence to the Bihar minister, but ruled that he be under probation for a certain period.
Kishor also deplored the police action against students in Patna a day ago and claimed that the CM may be "unwell, physically and mentally".
"I have had personal relations with him, yet a chief minister who lets boys be kicked by police personnel bearing heavy boots deserves no sympathy," he said.
Kishor also demanded action against those involved in the assault on a Bihari labourer in BJP-ruled Haryana.
"The labourer was mercilessly beaten by his employer in Haryana. His hands were amputated, and he is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ambala. Why have the accused not been arrested by the Haryana Police so far?" he asked.
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