Udaipur MP seeks ED probe into tribal party’s finances

Jaipur: A day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested Bharatiya Adivasi Party MLA Jaikrishn Patel while accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh, BJP MP from Udaipur, Mannalal Rawat, said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should investigate the tribal outfit's finances.
In a letter to ED on Monday, Rawat asked how BAP, only 20 months old, was able to fund electoral campaigns across 13 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in four districts. "I have credible evidence to prove that four BAP MLAs in the assembly are involved in financial irregularities," Rawat alleged.
Highlighting the party's modest beginnings in Sept 2023, Rawat said BAP had no resources, not even a formal office, at its inception. Despite this, the party fielded candidates in 19 constituencies, all of whom are first-generation politicians.
"Most of their candidates declared negligible or no assets, minimal savings, and no sustainable income sources. Yet, social media posts show them campaigning with cavalcades of 10–20 vehicles, large public rallies with tents, and mass catering events. These require substantial funding," Rawat said.
He said ED should examine the official bank accounts of the party as well as those of its candidates. "Even the family members of candidates and party office bearers must be scrutinised," he added, speaking on the sidelines of the Rajasthan BJP legislators' training session in Gujarat.