Senior Journalist Ashok Wankhede Accuses Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal of 'Casting Couch' in Ticket Distribution
In a shocking claim, senior journalist Ashok Wankhede has accused Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal of engaging in "casting couch" practices during the distribution of election tickets. Wankhede, in a viral video, questioned whether Venugopal has turned Haryana into a "den of immorality." He further alleged that Venugopal favored a female colleague for a ticket despite widespread opposition within the party, hinting at inappropriate reasons behind the decision.
Big allegation by Ashok Wankhede 🚨
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) October 9, 2024
"KC Venugopal gave tickets to his 'women friends' in Haryana"
"kya Haryana KC Venugopal ke 'Aiyyashi ka Adda' ban gaya?"
Whats the truth @kcvenugopalmp?
Whom is @bhauwankhade talking about? pic.twitter.com/NQaO5WsgYj
Wankhede can be heard in the video saying, "KC Venugopal has a female colleague, and since she is a woman, you can understand. The whole of Haryana opposed her ticket, yet she was given one." He demanded that Venugopal explain why he proposed the woman’s name despite internal opposition. Wankhede claimed that Venugopal, as the party’s General Secretary (Organization), was more focused on ensuring his female acquaintances received tickets than the welfare of the party.
Congress' Haryana Election Defeat and Rising Tensions
The allegations come on the heels of Congress’ defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections, a loss that has shocked the party. Congress, which had been confident of victory, was dealt a severe blow as it once again found itself weakened in direct competition with the BJP. The infighting between senior Congress leaders Bhupinder Hooda and Kumari Selja for the Chief Ministerial position had already been a point of contention, but the election results rendered these internal power struggles meaningless.
The defeat has sparked introspection within Congress, with questions being raised about the role of KC Venugopal in the party’s strategy. Journalist Ashok Wankhede's explosive claims have added further tension to an already heated post-election atmosphere.
BJP Takes Aim at Congress Leadership
The BJP has seized on the controversy, with its IT Cell head, Amit Malviya, posting on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that Ashok Wankhede has stood by his allegations of casting couch against KC Venugopal. Malviya criticized Congress’ silence on the issue, suggesting it lends credibility to the accusations.
Ashok Wankhede is unrelenting on his charge of casting couch against senior Congress leader KC Venugopal. The silence of the Congress party is adding legitimacy to the allegations.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 10, 2024
Earlier, Congress’s Simi Rose Bell and Sharda Rathore, a two term MLA, from Haryana, have… https://t.co/U132VyTm2u pic.twitter.com/5hpXGOa4Qh
Malviya also recalled previous allegations of casting couch within the Congress, citing statements from former Congress leader Simi Rosebell and two-time Haryana MLA Sharda Rathore, who had similarly confirmed the practice within the party.
As Congress grapples with its electoral defeat in Haryana, these claims against Venugopal have raised serious questions about the internal workings of the party. Many leaders, including Randeep Surjewala, have suggested that the leadership needs to adhere to the rules established in the party's Chintan Shivir (introspection camp) and reassess Venugopal’s position, especially since he has been in his role for over five years.
