BJP veteran Shanta Kumar, who recently left his party red-faced by demanding an internal Lokpal to tackle the cases of corruption like Vyapam, today refused to comment on charges made against him by an MLA that he embezzled party funds during last year's Lok Sabha polls.
BJP leader from Jalandhar, Manoranjan Kalia had written a letter to Kumar on Thursday accusing him of misappropriating party funds when he was the chief of the party's Punjab unit.
When contacted over phone for reaction, the BJP leader from Himachal Pradesh said, "I won't say anything on the allegations levelled by Kalia as there is no need to comment. So, don't ask me any question about it."
"Everyone knows both of us. Thus, I don't want to make any comment," Kumar added.
Meanwhile, sticking to his allegations, Kalia, said, "I haven't made any false accusations. Even he (Shanta Kumar) knows about it. His silence means tacit acceptance. Kumar should clear his position."
A section of BJP leaders from Punjab claimed that the two leaders have been at loggerheads since the last Assembly elections in the state. The allegations against Kumar comes days after the former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, in an explosive letter to BJP's national president Amit Shah, had demanded a 'Lokpal' in the party to tackle the cases of corruption like Vyapam.
In an embarrassment to government and BJP over their claims that its ministers and chief ministers have done nothing illegal and immoral, Kumar had said fingers from "Rajasthan to Maharashtra are being pointed at us" while Vyapam scam has "made all of us bow our heads in shame".
