The Congress alleged on Saturday that the claims made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Bhupesh Baghel are part of a "conspiracy" hatched by the BJP to tarnish the Chhattisgarh chief minister's image and asserted that the people of the state would give a befitting reply to such tactics in the upcoming Assembly poll.

The Opposition party said it will also take up the matter with the Election Commission (EC) as it was a clear case of "violation" of the Model Code of Conduct.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that with the defeat of the BJP certain in the Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, the saffron party is misusing central agencies, such as the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"The people of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have faith in the Congress. The BJP is indulging in vendetta politics," Ramesh said.

Another Congress leader, K C Venugopal, said there is a clear-cut conspiracy to tarnish Baghel's image and people will give a befitting reply to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming polls.

The ED claimed on Friday that a forensic analysis and a statement made by a "cash courier" have led to "startling allegations" that Mahadev betting app promoters have so far paid about Rs 508 crore to Baghel and that "these are a subject matter of investigation".

The BJP accused the Congress on Saturday of using "hawala" money brought by illegal betting operators to fund its poll campaign in Chhattisgarh as it targeted Baghel over the allegation that he received over Rs 500 crore kickback.

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