'Wait till November 17': CM Bhupesh Baghel's sarcastic jibe amid Mahadev betting app row

CM Baghel highlighted the timing of the allegations and the release of a video by one of the accused, Shubham Soni, who claims to be the "real" owner of the app. Soni alleged that he had moved to Dubai on Baghel's advice and had provided the Chief Minister with Rs 508 crore.

Amid an ongoing corruption case involving the now-illegal Mahadev online betting app, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has called on the Election Commission to take action against what he considers attempts to damage the reputation of his government just days before the state's polling. He accused the BJP of utilizing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as an ally to target his government ahead of the elections in Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh is set to vote in two phases, on November 7 and 17. Despite the corruption allegations, Baghel appears confident about his re-election bid and commented humorously with reporters that the BJP can "enjoy" their tactics until November 17, the final phase of polling, emphasizing that such actions will not affect the election outcome.

He questioned the Election Commission's response and called for an investigation into the efforts to tarnish his government's image, citing clear guidelines provided by the Election Commission itself.

Baghel highlighted the timing of the allegations and the release of a video by one of the accused, Shubham Soni, who claims to be the "real" owner of the app. Soni alleged that he had moved to Dubai on Baghel's advice and had provided the Chief Minister with Rs 508 crore. Baghel has vehemently denied these allegations and raised questions about why the app had not been shut down earlier.

The app and 21 others have now been blocked by the central government following a request from the ED. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar criticized Baghel's government for not making such a request themselves.

The allegations and counter-allegations have added a significant layer of complexity to the political landscape in Chhattisgarh in the run-up to the elections. It remains to be seen how these developments will impact the electoral outcome.