Will present myself to CBI for Narco test: Harish Rawat on fresh sting video

Dehradun: Under scanner after a new purported sting video allegedly targeting him came to fore a day ahead of the floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly, former chief minister Harish Rawat on Monday said that he will present himself before the CBI for narco analysis test.

If Kailash Vijayvargiya ji, Amit Shah ji and Shyam Jaju ji, people who were involved in horse-trading, are ready for Narco test, I I'll also present myself as first volunteer narco test before CBI, Rawat said.

Rawat, however, added that he had sought some time from the CBI in this case.

I have sought time from CBI and hope that they will understand the situation and grant me the same. I will appear before CBI and give all information that they will seek from me: Rawat told reporters here.

Reaction s from Rawat came hours after a new purported sting video came to fore, prompting BJP to accuse him of trying to "buy" legislators.

The sting allegedly shows Congress MLA Madan Singh Bisht admitting to payment of Rs 25 lakh each to 12 legislators.

It has been done by a news channel that earlier released a video clip allegedly showing Rawat indulging in horse-trading.

In the latest video, Bisht is purportedly seen and heard talking with longtime colleague but now dissident MLA Harak Singh Rawat - who is not visible in the clip - about how he managed to extract money from Harish Rawat for the "poor MLAs".

Bisht is purported to have said in the video that Harish Rawat was giving the money he had earned from mining to his MLAs to keep his flock together.

As the political fight over the Uttarakhand crisis escalated, Rawat accused the NDA government and the BJP of indulging in "politics of blackmail" and creating "unrest" in the hill state. He also alleged that the Congress MLAs were being threatened and their phones tapped by central agencies.

"I charge the central government and the BJP that they are trying to create this politics of siege and unrest in this state. I have decided that after May 10th result, all these blackmailers who are blatantly trying to trap people by offering financial and other allurements, who are trying to blackmail the people, we will launch a fight against them under the leadership of Kishor Upadhyaya," Rawat said.

The Congress leader alleged that his phones and those of his relatives and aides were being tapped. "Central agencies are harassing Congress people through various ways," he alleged.

"Central agencies are openly being misused and not only my MLAs but political leaders are being threatened," he said.

"Our MLAs and leaders are getting threatening messages from conduits who are posing as relatives, well-wishers and acquaintances," Rawat told reporters in Dehradun.

"I am also being kept under surveillance as if I am an anti-national," he alleged.

Rawat had faced allegations of horse-trading earlier after a purported sting video allegedly showed him negotiating to bring back rebel legislators.

Meanwhile, taking potshots at Harish Rawat, the Bharatiya Janata Party today said he was power hungry and could go to any extent to remain in power.