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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | If it’s poll season, money is honey by Joy Sengupta

If it’s poll season, money is honey by Joy Sengupta

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published Published on Oct 15, 2010   modified Modified on Oct 15, 2010

In poll time, money is the real honey.

Political sources shrugged off the detention of Congress MP Rama Chandra Khuntia at Patna airport yesterday for carrying Rs 12.5 lakh cash.

The sources said cash, as with most elections, has been flowing freely in spite of the strict norms of the Election Commission.

The BJP, which has often been accused of using money power to “influence” elections — Karnataka being a case in point — was candid enough to admit that such things happened during elections.

C.P Thakur, state president of the BJP, said: “This happens with every party during the elections. The leaders should be careful about these things.”

The Election Commission today said the inquiry into Wednesday’s incident involving Khuntia, a secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), was on.

Kumar Anshumali, the additional chief electoral officer, told The Telegraph that Khuntia, who is also a Congress Rajya Sabha member from Orissa, had been asked to explain the source of the cash.

“It is not a violation of the model code of conduct if the person shows the valid reason or source from where the money is being brought. The person should have the supporting documents. If the person fails to satisfy, it will be regard as a violation. An inquiry is being conducted and R.C Khuntia has been asked to explain the source,” he said.

Khuntia was detained while boarding a flight from Patna to New Delhi after the air intelligence unit detected cash in his baggage. Khuntia told the officials he was returning with the unspent party funds for the candidates. He also showed the investigators a letter purportedly bearing the signature of AICC treasurer Motilal Vora. However, the letter did not have any seal of Vora. Khuntia was allowed to fly after that.

Talking to The Telegraph over phone from New Delhi, Khuntia said: “I was carrying the AICC funds with the due authority letter from AICC treasurer Motilal Vora.”

Khuntia said he was allowed to board the flight with the cash after he gave the declaration that the money was meant for election purpose.

The Lalu Prasad-led RJD was quick to attack the Congress. Shakeel Ahmed Khan, the national spokesperson of the RJD, said the Congress had the habit of “buying” candidates with money.

“Money is always at the top in the Congress party. It buys votes with money,” Khan said.

Sources said the flow of money depended on a lot of factors, all very political. “It is a simple and straight-forward business. Money always rules,” said a political source.

He added that the flow of bucks depended upon the candidate and the constituency as well.

“Suppose a party is positive about a candidate’s win in a constituency. If it is, then the party will flow in a lot of cash to ensure the win. It will not be taking any chances as the party will never ever risk a close count in terms of votes,” sources said.

The constituency was also very important. “If a constituency is very important for a political party, a lot of cash will flow,” sources added.


The Telegraph, 15 October, 2010, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101015/jsp/bihar/story_13059065.jsp


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