Congress-BJP fixed Antagarh Bypoll in Chattisgarh?

It is well known that the Congress and the BJP are at loggerheads, especially on country's developmental issues. It has now been revealed that they are together in resorting to undemocratic methods such as committing electoral violations. Last year's Antagarh assembly byelection in Chattisgarh is a case in point. Congress nominee Manturam Pawar withdrew his nomination at the last minute, enabling BJP candidate Bhojraj Nag to win the byelection easily. Now it has been revealed that Pawar withdrew his nomination at the last minute at the behest of his party's leaders Ajit Jogi and his son, Amit Jogi. `The New Indian Express;' said in a front-page story on Wednesday that the byelection was fixed by both the Congress and the BJP. The story alleged that Punit Gupta, Chief Minister Raman Singh's son-in-law, former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, Amit Jogi, and Congress noinee Pawar had held telephonic talks among themselves, which had resulted in the latter's withdrawal of nomination. The newspaper claims that it has transcripts of the telephonic conversations of all the leaders in this regard. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, however, chafes at any such match-fixing charge. He has threatened to file a defamation suit against the newspaper. Chief Minister Raman Singh has steered clear of the matter, saying it is an internal problem of the Congress.