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Judeo resigns
New Delhi, Nov 17: Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo today resigned from the government in the wake of allegationsof accepting bribe for a mining deal, BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said. I quit on moral grounds: Judeo
New Delhi, Nov 17: Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo today resigned from the government in the wake of allegationsof accepting bribe for a mining deal, BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said.
"Judeo has sent his resignation to the Prime Minister", Naidu told reporters emerging from a meeting convened by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to discuss the issue.
Asked whether Vajpayee has accepted the resignation, he said "it is the Prime Minister`s prerogative".
Naidu said the leaders, who attended the meeting, requested Vajpayee to order an inquiry either by CBI or by an appropriate agency "so that truth comes out".
The BJP chief said Judeo, who spoke to him twice on telephone yesterday and this morning, told him that he would continue to campaign for the party for the coming assembly polls in Chhattisgarh.
Naidu said Judeo had told him that the matter was part of a "conspiracy" and "vilification" campaign against him and the party. The BJP chief said Judeo alleged the involvement of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in it.
Naidu said Judeo had offered to resign yesterday but he was told that the Prime Minister was away and he should wait for the party`s guidance on the matter.
Besides the BJP President, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan and BJP Chief whip in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra.
Vajpayee, who arrived here last night, from his week-long three-nation tour, had told reporters that a probe was on into the charges against Judeo and asserted he would go if found guilty.
Claiming that "Judeo is honest", Naidu said "I have conveyed the same to the Prime Minister".
On the VCD on the basis of which "Sunday Express" ran a front-page story, the BJP chief said "we have not seen the disc.... Nobody owns it".
Naidu said Judeo felt that it would be better if he quits office as Congress could make it an issue in the run up to the assembly polls, affecting the party`s election prospects.
Attacking Congress for demanding Judeo`s resignation, Naidu said what action the party has taken against Jogi, who faces charges of "forgery and cheating". He claimed an inquiry had been conducted and prima facie charges established.
"What is their response?", he said and termed the matter As "dirty tricks", allegedly perpetrated by congress. He accused the opposition party of adopting "spit and run" policy.
Charging congress with keeping mum on the multi-crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam, Naidu said the scam originated from Karnataka and has spread to 12 states.
"What is their response. Why are they not demanding a CBI probe into it", he said.
Bureau Report
Asked whether Vajpayee has accepted the resignation, he said "it is the Prime Minister`s prerogative".
Naidu said the leaders, who attended the meeting, requested Vajpayee to order an inquiry either by CBI or by an appropriate agency "so that truth comes out".
The BJP chief said Judeo, who spoke to him twice on telephone yesterday and this morning, told him that he would continue to campaign for the party for the coming assembly polls in Chhattisgarh.
Naidu said Judeo had told him that the matter was part of a "conspiracy" and "vilification" campaign against him and the party. The BJP chief said Judeo alleged the involvement of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in it.
Naidu said Judeo had offered to resign yesterday but he was told that the Prime Minister was away and he should wait for the party`s guidance on the matter.
Besides the BJP President, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Party General Secretary Pramod Mahajan and BJP Chief whip in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra.
Vajpayee, who arrived here last night, from his week-long three-nation tour, had told reporters that a probe was on into the charges against Judeo and asserted he would go if found guilty.
Claiming that "Judeo is honest", Naidu said "I have conveyed the same to the Prime Minister".
On the VCD on the basis of which "Sunday Express" ran a front-page story, the BJP chief said "we have not seen the disc.... Nobody owns it".
Naidu said Judeo felt that it would be better if he quits office as Congress could make it an issue in the run up to the assembly polls, affecting the party`s election prospects.
Attacking Congress for demanding Judeo`s resignation, Naidu said what action the party has taken against Jogi, who faces charges of "forgery and cheating". He claimed an inquiry had been conducted and prima facie charges established.
"What is their response?", he said and termed the matter As "dirty tricks", allegedly perpetrated by congress. He accused the opposition party of adopting "spit and run" policy.
Charging congress with keeping mum on the multi-crore Telgi fake stamp paper scam, Naidu said the scam originated from Karnataka and has spread to 12 states.
"What is their response. Why are they not demanding a CBI probe into it", he said.
Bureau Report