BJP’s President of Himachal Pradesh Rajeev Bindal resigns.

Amid COVID-19 bribe probe, Rajeev Bindal says resignation only on moral grounds so that the probe isn’t influenced.

On Wednesday, BJP’s Himachal Pradesh party president Rajeev Bindal resigned on the basis of high moral grounds leaving the ruling BJP red-faced. The resignation comes amid a corruption probe into the acquisition of medical supplies for the COVID-19 pandemic, by the government. 

Earlier in the week, the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau arrested Dr A K Gupta, the director of health services, following an investigation in an audio clip wherein Gupta and Rajeev Bindal are allegedly discussing the handover of 5 lakhs. This 43-second clip triggered the Congress state president Rajni Patil to target the government alleging that the man heard offering the bribe was a ruling party leader. Bindal, however, denied that claim and explained his resignation suggesting that the probe should not be influenced in any way.  

In his resignation letter, Bindal said, “As I am the BJP state president and we want this alleged corruption to be properly probed and so that there is no pressure of any kind and the probe is not influenced in any way. It is to be kept in mind that I am resigning on the basis of high moral grounds.” 

BJP national president J P Nadda had picked Rajeev Bindal as Himachal Pradesh’s party chief in January. Bindal, 65 was serving as Speaker of the State Assembly prior to it. Bindal, a graduate of ayurvedic medicine and surgery (GAMS), is a five-time MLA. After contesting from Solan for the elections, Bindal got elected MLA, thrice and is presently serving a second term from Nahan. 

Although the audio clip does not reveal the identities of the two men, BJP in a statement have revealed that J P Nadda has accepted Bindal’s resignation.