Within days of former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh’s name surfacing in the stamp paper scam, partymen want him out of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to ‘‘save the party from getting a bad name’’. They also want him out of the Chhattisgarh election campaign committee immediately; a memorandum would be despatched to Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon, highly placed party sources said. The anti-Deshmukh lobby in the state has already contacted senior All India Congress Committee leaders on the issue and claim to have received ‘‘positive feedback’’. These AICC leaders are expected to apprise Sonia of Deshmukh’s role in the scam and request her to relieve the former CM of his Chhattisgarh campaign duties. The demand comes at a time when Deshmukh is expecting a plum AICC posting. Deshmukh, then revenue minister, had on February 18, 1994, affixed his signature and put down the remark ‘‘to be considered immediately’’ on an application made by Telgi for a stamp vendor’s licence. Telgi was introduced to Deshmukh by independent legislator (now incarcerated) Anil Gote, a close acquaintance. After due inquiries by the Superintendent of Stamps, Telgi was given a licence on March 15, 1994. ‘‘Whatever his role, it will hamper the party’s chances in the state Assembly polls as he will naturally be the party’s chief ministerial candidate. If the party does not take any action it will send a wrong signal to the electorate,’’ said a vocal Deshmukh bete noire. Deshmukh baiters feel his continuance in the present assignments will be bad for the party’s image. AICC general secretary incharge of Maharashtra, Vayalar Ravi, was unavailable for comment. ‘‘They want to drag me into this case unnecessarily. I am not involved. I do not know Telgi. I only knew Anil Gote as he was a reporter with Loksatta and a Shetkari Sanghatana activist. I had written ‘to be considered immediately’ on the application, but we do so on all applications. It is not an order, the department follows its prescribed procedure, which they did. So, how am I involved?’’ Deshmukh said, on his way to an election meeting. ‘‘Gote has never met me after I put matters straight and brought it in the records of the Lower House. The investigations started during my tenure as chief minister and Jaiswal was appointed by me. I have not done anything out of turn.’’ The ex-CM is willing to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) if they would examine his side of the story, the leader said. Deshmukh said he was used to bumpy rides and it was left to the high command to study the issue and give its verdict. ‘‘What I did was in good faith as I was unaware of Telgi or Gote’s intentions. It is a lesson learnt, I will be more careful in future.’’ DESHMUKH STAMP • February 18, 1994: Recommended Telgi’s application for a stamp vendor’s licence Met Telgi through independent legislator (now jailed) Anil Gote • March 15, 1994: Telgi granted licence Order on parole reserved BANGALORE: A fast track court on Saturday reserved orders for November 22 on an application filed by Telgi praying for a week’s parole to visit his mother and wife at Khanapur, Belgaum dist. Agent’s bail plea rejected PUNE: The special court on Saturday rejected the bail application of Manoj Mehta, an alleged agent of Telgi. (PTI)
