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Updated: Apr 10, 2019 23:29 IST

Chhattisgarh Bharatiya Janata Party leaders blackened their social media profile pictures on Wednesday, claiming the deaths of BJP legislator, Bhima Mandavi, and four aides in an improvised explosive device blast on Tuesday was the result of a “political conspiracy”. They also demanded a CBI inquiry.

Mandavi, his driver and three security personnel were killed on Tuesday after an IED, said to have been triggered by Maoists, tore through his SUV in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district .

State BJP chief Vikram Usendi said the CBI should conduct an inquiry to find out whether the MLA was killed because of the “negligence” and “conspiracy” of the Congress government.

Another BJP leader and former minister, Brijomohan Agarwal, alleged that the state government was “working for the Maoists” and the conspirators were part of the government. “In these conditions, EC should take control of things as we don’t trust the Congress government. Our leaders are under serious threat.”

BJP leader and state spokesperson, Sacchinand Upasane, who said statewide protests had been organised by party workers, added: “The Congress government is responsible for the security lapse, which led to Mandavi’s death. It has been doing vendetta politics since last November and the death is the result of a political conspiracy.”

Responding to the charges, CM Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday said the BJP MLA had not heeded police advice. “Had Bhima Mandavi listened to the police, he would have been alive. But he did not heed their advice and sent the district reserve group force back. He left without informing the local police,” Baghel said.

Mandavi’s mortal remains were brought to the BJP office in Dantewada where BJP leaders, including general secretary Anil Jain and ex-CM Raman Singh paid their respects Wednesday.