Engine of loot: Congress targets MP CM over report of suspicious land deals in Ujjain
The Congress and other opposition parties on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav after a media report alleged that
The Congress and other opposition parties on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav after a media report alleged that members of the BJP leader's family acquired large tracts of land in Ujjain that were expected to benefit from upcoming government infrastructure projects. The Congress demanded the Chief Minister's resignation, calling his government an "engine of loot". Read Full Story A report by The Indian Express alleged that since Yadav assumed office as chief minister in December 2023, members of his family and their associated real estate firms have purchased at least 137 land parcels spanning around 168 acres in Ujjain. The report estimated the value of these acquisitions at approximately Rs 45 crore. According to the report, several of the purchases were made in areas expected to see a sharp appreciation in land values due to planned government infrastructure projects, including new road networks, proposed land-use changes and development works linked to preparations for the Simhastha, which is scheduled to be held in 2028. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the allegations, describing the Madhya Pradesh government as an "engine of loot", a swipe at the BJP's "double-engine" governance slogan used for states where the party is in power both at the Centre and in the state. "In the BJP's 'double engine' government in Madhya Pradesh, the 'engine of loot' is running at full speed.
The Chief Minister of the state himself, Mohan Yadav, has become the mastermind of this loot," Ramesh alleged on X. He also echoed claims that details of the land deals had surfaced as part of a conspiracy against the Chief Minister from within the party. "There is also speculation that the 'farming of news' against the Chief Minister has been orchestrated by the Agriculture Minister, who moved from Madhya Pradesh to the Centre. It appears to be infighting over the chair and a share in the loot," he added. Calling the alleged Ujjain land scam the "loot of Mahakal land", the Madhya Pradesh Congress demanded Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's resignation and sought a judicial inquiry into the allegations. State Congress president Jitu Patwari called for an investigation by a sitting Supreme Court judge, alleging that Yadav's family's landholdings had expanded from around 100 acres to 335 acres after he assumed office, and said the Chief Minister must explain the increase. "Facts clearly show that the BJP is involved in the theft of Ram Temple donations and the looting of Mahakal land. Media reports that have surfaced today are deeply concerning. The chief minister is not just an individual; he represents the entire state. In such a situation, if such serious allegations are made against him, it naturally harms the dignity of the state," he said.
The BriefWire