'It's money power, not democracy': Digvijaya on speculation about some Goa Cong MLAs joining BJP

Amid speculation that some Congress MLAs may cross over to the ruling BJP in Goa, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday alleged that it is not democracy, but "money power" of the saffron party.

He was speaking to reporters in Pune after offering his prayers to Lord Vitthal in the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district on the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Replying to a question about the speculation that some of the 11 Congress MLAs may join the BJP, Singh said there was a need to check how many of these legislators face cases by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department.

"If you know about this, you will come to know that this is not Loktantra (democracy), but it is dhantantra (money power) of the BJP," the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister alleged.

Asked about the current crisis in Sri Lanka, he said the island country's debt and inflation kept on soaring even as the foreign exchange came down, which led to the present scenario.

"We should also be alert. The situation that is prevailing in Sri Lanka is also there in India. The debt component, which was around Rs 36 lakh crore, has increased to Rs 80 lakh crore. Rupee depreciation is happening, iflation has reached its peak and the foreign exchange reserves are also dwindling," the Rajya Sabha member claimed.

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government in the Centre do not pay attention and take corrective steps, then Sri Lanka-like situation may prevail in India too, he added. PTI SPK NP NP