Another MP minister warns voters, says ‘no scheme benefits if you vote for Congress’

After Yashodhara Raje Scindia, another minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sparked a controversy by saying that only those who vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would get benefits of government schemes, those voting for the Congress party would simply waste their votes.

During bypoll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, Chouhan-led BJP government’s minister Maya Singh said, “Jinhone phool ko vote diya unka sab theek hai. Aapne haath ko vote dene ki galti kari (Everything is alright for those who voted for the flower, but you committed a mistake by voting for the hand [Congress symbol]).”

“BJP ko vote dijiye sabko sab kuch milega. Apna vote kharaab mat karna. Jo agar iss baar galti karenge woh kuch nahi paa payenge (Vote for BJP and everyone will get everything. Don’t waste your vote. Those who commit a mistake this time won’t be able to get anything),” she added.

Earlier, BJP MLA Yashodhara Raje Scindia had given an indirect warning to voters during campaign for Kolaras Assembly bypoll.

कोलारस विधानसभा उपचुनाव में आचार सहिंता की खुलेआम धज्जियां उड़ाती भाजपा की मंत्री यशोधरा राजे सिंधिया@INCIndia @JM_Scindia pic.twitter.com/QJnhGPCDdP

— Arun Yadav (@MPArunYadav) February 17, 2018

"Chulhe ki yojana, kyun nahi aayi aapke paas? ye kamal ki yojana hai. Aap panje mein vote doge, aapke paas aaegi nahi. Aap kamal ko doge, aapke paas aaegi. Seedhi baat hai. (Why didn’t the gas scheme come to you people? It is because this is BJP’s scheme. You will vote for Congress, you won’t be provided with the scheme. If you vote for BJP, it will be provided to you)," she had said.

Scindia made the statement while campaigning for the BJP ahead of Kolaras Assembly bypoll, which is slated to be held on February 24. The battle in Kolaras is one of pride between the BJP and the Congress party, as it falls under the parliamentary constituency of Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is the nephew of the Yashodhara Raje Scindia.

A video of the BJP minister making the statement was shared on microblogging site Twitter by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Arun Yadav, alleging brazen violation of model code of conduct.