Union minister Smriti Irani has alleged that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will now be operated by a remote control from Dubai, apparently hinting at his alleged connection with the UAE-based promoters of ‘Mahadev’ betting app.

Addressing a rally in Kondagaon assembly constituency of the poll-bound state on Sunday, she said the Congress has cheated the women of Chhattisgarh by not fulfilling its promise of banning liquor.

“I am surprised. I did not know that for the sake of securing power, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will now be operated by the remote control of Dubai. Till now it was said that the remote was from Italy, but now it has come to light that a remote is also lying in Dubai… A phone rings, the man runs fast and is caught with crores of rupees,” she said.

She was referring to a man recently arrested by the Enforcement Directorate along with cash in connection with the agency's probe into the alleged Mahadev betting app scam.

The ED had on Friday claimed that a forensic analysis and a statement made by a ‘cash courier’ had led to “startling allegations” that Mahadev betting app promoters paid about Rs 508 crore to the Chhattisgarh chief minister so far, and that “these are subject matter of investigation”.

According to ED, the alleged agent, Asim Das (38), was arrested by the agency in Raipur after it recovered Rs 5.39 crore cash from him.

Irani said the Congress government has cheated not only the women of Kondagaon but of the entire Chhattisgarh.

“Congress (in 2018) had promised women by going door-to-door that they would make the state drug-free and completely ban liquor. Congress came to power by making false promises to the innocent women of the state... Instead of banning liquor, the Congress leaders looted Rs 2,000 crore by committing liquor scam and filled their coffers,” she said.

Kondgaon is among 20 assembly segments which will go to polls on November 7 in the first phase of the two-phased elections to the 90-member assembly. Campaigning for the first phase of polls ended on Sunday evening.

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