Vyapam scam accused meets Madhya Pradesh CM, sparks row

Ruling BJP circle here is rife with speculations that former minister Laxmikant Sharma, key accused in Vyapam scam, may be rehabilitated in the party in the near future following his recent meeting with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the latter’s official residence.

Mr Sharma, who was released on bail on December 20 last year after spending 19 months in jail for his alleged role in the infamous Vyapam swindle, had a 30-minute closed door meeting with the chief minister late on Thursday evening, authoritative sources told this newspaper on Saturday.

“Mr Sharma reached the CM house at 9.50 in the evening and left at 10.20 pm,” sources disclosed.

Incidentally, this was the first meeting between Mr Sharma and the chief minister after the former was released on bail.

The BJP leaders in the state were, however, tightlipped on the meeting.

“The party has no business to keep record of all developments that take place in chief minister’s official residence,” a senior BJP leader quipped.

Rumours of Mr Sharma’s rehabilitation in the party have been making rounds in BJP circle here ever since he was out on bail.

The party leadership was reportedly worried over reports that the saffron outfit’s influence over upper castes, especially brahmins, were waning in the state. Hence, the BJP leadership here was toying with the idea of giving the influential brahmin leader key position in the party to woo the upper castes back to the party. When contacted, sources close to Mr Sharma, however, preferred to maintain silence over the development.