A chargesheet prepared by the Lucknow police — in the case of the BJP’s controversial election CD — names party’s national president Rajnath Singh as accused number one, although he was neither present at its release, nor did his name appear in the credits of the CD.

As BJP leaders began accusing Chief Minister Mayawati of indulging in political vendetta, she recommended a CBI inquiry into the CD episode.

“I have decided to recommend a CBI probe into this episode to prevent BJP leaders from levelling allegations against me that my government was indulging in political vendetta,” she told the media on Wednesday. The Lucknow police, she said, had found that senior BJP leaders were involved in the matter. In the media conference, that lasted only a few minutes, she did not name Rajnath Singh, and refused to answer questions. The police were investigating the matter on basis of an FIR lodged by Chief Electoral Officer Anuj Kumar Bishnoi against senior BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Lalji Tandon and others.

But it was a different Rajnath Singh — Rajnath Singh Surya, then media co-ordinator of BJP and former Rajya Sabha member — who was present at the CD release function. The chargesheet, however, names “Rajnath Singh, BJP national president”.

Surya told The Indian Express that police had not contacted him. “I was present on the dais with the CD in my hand, though it was not even shown to me till then,” he said. “Those in the Election Commission were perhaps prejudiced, and instead of my name, the FIR was lodged in the name of BJP national president.” Others names in the chargesheet are Lalji Tandon, producer of CD Chaudhury Virendra Singh, head of BJP cultural wing Alpana Talwar, Pravesh Gujjar, Lal Bahadur, Udit, Lokesh, Sunita and KC Asthana.

... contd.