Businessman who helped manage key Congress event is being targeted: CM Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that after it failed to disrupt the Congress' plenary session in Raipur through Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids, a businessman who helped manage the key party event is being targeted now.

The three-day plenary session of the Congress concluded in the Chhattisgarh capital on Sunday.

Baghel, a senior Congress leader, accused the BJP, which heads the government at the Centre, of crossing limits in "anger" and "political malice".


"BJP has been crossing limits in anger and political malice. ED's raids at the premises of my colleagues could not stop the plenary session, so on Saturday they reached the house of the businessman who was managing the event," he said in a tweet without revealing the identity of the businessman.

"They introduced themselves as ED officers but neither did they show their identity cards nor any (search) warrant. (They) Gave threats and sought answers on BJP's allegations (related to plenary session). They then left saying that they would come (again)," said the CM.


The Congress leader vowed to fight back and asserted his party and its workers will not get intimidated.

"Lakhs of efforts were made but the Congress conclave could not be stopped in any way. The face of dictatorship has been exposed. But we are not sacred and will not be afraid," he said in another tweet with the hashtag #Lado-aur-Jeeto (fight and win).

The ED last week conducted searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including at premises linked to Congress leaders, as part of an ongoing investigation into the coal levy money laundering case, officials said.

The raids were conducted ahead of the plenary session of the Congress held from February 24 to 26 in Nava Raipur.

Baghel had earlier called the raids politically motivated and claimed the BJP, the main Opposition party in Chhattisgarh, was scared of the Congress and misusing central probe agencies to crush the voices of political opponents.