INDORE/BHOPAL: Former Lok Sabha Speaker

set political circles aflutter on Monday by saying that she could not speak up against the erstwhile BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, and used to request Congress leaders Jitu Patwari and Tulsiram Silawat — both minsters in the Kamal Nath government now — to raise important issues.

The state Congress hit out at BJP, saying that after Rahul Bajaj, now a BJP veteran has confirmed there is “lack of democracy in BJP rule”.

Referring to the previous BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, Mahajan said, “It’s been my experience that when my government is in power, I can’t speak against them…. But someone needs to raise issues concerning Indore, for its development. Therefore, I used to request Jitu Patwari and Tulsiram Silawat to do something (highlight the issues) and I would handle the situation later by coordinating with Shivraj (former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan).”

She added that Congress leaders, who were in opposition during BJP’s regime, used to accept her request and highlight issues for betterment of Indore. “When it comes to development of Indore, we don’t indulge in party politics,” Mahajan said at event at Jitu Patwari’s residence, which was presided over by governor Lalji Tandon, on Sunday evening.

She praised Patwari for his good behavior and said that he is “on the way to becoming her disciple”.

Her statement went viral on Monday. State Congress said that after industrialist Rahul Bajaj, now a senior BJP leader has “levelled the charge that she could not speak out in BJP”.

In reaction to Mahajan’s statement, Patwari said on Monday that he looks upon the senior BJP leader as his mother. “Sumitra Mahajan ji was always positive about the development of Indore, which is above party lines. So, she used to seek help even from Congress MLAs to raise important issues concerning the city,” said Silawat.

State Congress spokesman and chief minister Kamal Nath’s media convener Narendra Saluja tweeted, “After industrialist Rahul Bajaj, now the country’s former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan exposed claims of freedom of speech within BJP. She said when I was unable to raise public issues while my party was in power, I used to request Congress leaders to take up the issues and they readily obliged.”

Another PCC spokesman Durgesh Sharma said, “Sumitra Mahajan ji has openly said that she could not speak out within BJP. She took the help of Congress MLAs when her party was in power. It reveals that there is no democracy in BJP rule and has clarified that it is in Congress that leaders can speak their mind.”

Senior party spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi tweeted, “First, Shri Rahul Bajaj and now Shrimati Sumitra Mahajan, both wanted to say that expression of truth not possible in BJP and if one tries to do it, the person suffers.”

BJP, however, claimed that Mahajan’s statements only showed her emotion for Indore and that the party always kept her word when in power in the state. “Mahajan’s statement is based on emotions as she belongs to Indore. She is our senior leader and we respect her and consider all her suggestions,” BJP media in-charge Lokendra Parashar told TOI.