Day before Rahul's MP rally, Congress MLA lodges FIR against party worker for molestation bid

BHOPAL: In an embarrassment for the Congress ahead of party leader Rahul Gandhi's arrival to participate in the "Jan Akrosh Yatras" launched by the Madhya Pradesh unit and addressing his first public rally in the poll-bound state, party MLA Kalpana Verma has lodged a FIR against a local party leader accusing him of attempted sexual harassment.

Verma, the first-time MLA from Raigaon (SC) seat of Vindhya region’s Satna district, said: "I was going to condole the death of a deputy village sarpanch’s mother, when (local leader) Manoj Bagri attempted to bump me and hold my hand. Along with aides, he attempted similar behaviour with one of my female aides also."

The incident comes as senior Congress leaders, spanning from Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi to General Secretary in-charge for Madhya Pradesh Randeep Singh Surjewala, have been attacking the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in the state, over the recent rape with a 12-year-old in Ujjain.

Citing the incident, state BJP chief V.D. Sharma asked the Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to break their silence over the alleged molestation of the Congress MLA.

Rahul Gandhi is slated to address a public rally in Polaykalan village falling under Kalapipal assembly constituency of Shajapur district. Through the Saturday’s Jan Akrosh Rally, the Congress aims at boosting its cadres on 20-25 seats of western Madhya Pradesh (Malwa region, particularly the Ujjain division) and neighbouring central Madhya Pradesh.

Kunal Chaudhary, who is a relative of former minister Jitu Patwari is sitting MLA from Kalapipal. Notably, two out of the three assembly seats of Shajapur district, including Kalapipal are currently held by the Congress.