Kalia dares Punjab BJP chief to probe charges against Shanta

Sunday, 26/07/2015

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JALANDHAR: The war of words within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Jalandhar Central MLA Manoranjan Kalia’s charges of misuse of party funds from Punjab BJP by veteran leader Shanta Kumar, has heated up.

One day after Punjab BJP chief Kamal Sharma hit back at Kalia and termed his allegations of misuse of party funds by Shanta Kumar for personal use when he was state unit in-charge as baseless, Kalia has issued an open letter to the Punjab unit chief.

As per copies of the letter provided by Kalia to the media, the former minister has dared the state party chief to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made by him.

“I think you have not read my open letter to Shantaji carefully. I have not levelled any allegations. Rather, I have quoted two specific incidents to support my claims. Anybody can conduct probe in those incidents,” said Kalia.

Notably, Kalia in his open letter to the BJP veteran on July 24 had challenged his honesty and integrity claims by quoting an example of Hoshiapur just ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls when money was collected for the elections.

“You handed over this fund to a senior party leader, who gave it to BJP candidate Vijay Sampla sensing that the fund was collected for him. But within hours, you demanded the money back and took it with you for your own election. You reasoned that this fund was collected for your election from Kangra,” Kalia had told Shanta.

Kalia, who does not share a good relationship with the state BJP chief, also took a dig at Sharma’s statement that the state unit collects and manages the funds and the not party affairs in-charge.

“I know that all funds, be it for routine or elections, are audited every year. I have full confidence that you must have done the same for 2014-15 also. I know that you are having a big self-esteem and that if anybody asks you to show the details of the expenditure and collection details of the party, you will immediately hand it over to him,” stated Kalia in the letter written in a pinching tone.

The Jalandhar Central MLA also charged the state president of taking inner party matters to the press. “I wrote my ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to Shanta in an open letter in the same way as Shanta did by writing to national party chief Amit Shah and sharing it on Facebook.

But you while defending Shanta went to press on Friday. I have always shown full respect to you as state president. If you would have asked me about your apprehensions about the matter, I would have briefed you completely. Since your statement came via press, I am also doing the same while replying to you,” said Kalia.

The former minister said that ever since Sharma became the party chief, he had never gone to the press even if he had any problem. “In future too, I urge you not to move in press if you feel like having any problem with me,” wrote Kalia.