RAIPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Monday came together to defend Bhanupratappur by-election candidate Brahmanand Netam stating character assassination of people is in the character of Congress.

Leader of Opposition Narayan Chandel, Kedar Kashyap Devlal Thakur and others said this is not the first time the Congress has made such an attempt. Due to such an act, even the Chief Minister, has been charge-sheeted and is out on bail.

Just a few days remaining for the poll, Chandel said Congress had a fear that there is an imminent defeat. To counter it, the Congress has come up with the story by stooping to the lowest level of character assassination against a tribal candidate.

The BJP leaders said nowhere in the documents shown there is crime registered against the BJP candidate. If the case is of 2019, then why has Brahmanand Netam not been interrogated till now and why has he not been arrested. Why has no notice been issued to him in any way, despite the imposition of sections in the POCSO Act?

They said what kind of crime has occurred where the police are yet to take any action, even after years.

BJP leader stated that why did the Congress refrained itself from registering its protest when the nomination paper was being filed. It could have been done till November 18, then why it remained silent on the issue.

Brahmanand had not even received a notice in the last three years or even called for interrogation. Then how can he mention it in his affidavit, Chandel said.

He said Congress had hatched a conspiracy to defame a tribal leader. It would have an impact on the result and favour BJP.