New Delhi: Congress last night (Dec 6, 2003) suspended outgoing Chattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi following sensational allegation by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that he had attempted to bribe BJP MLAs to split the party and prevent its Government from taking office today.

"Jogi has been suspended from the party pending an inquiry into the allegation," Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said.

The matter would be probed thoroughly and the guilty punished, he said.

Asked if Jogi would attend today's Congress Working Committee meeting, Patel said, "When he (Jogi) has been suspended from the party, how can he attend it?"

Congress general secretary Ambika Soni said the party had taken a serious view of the allegation.

She, however, condemned the use of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's name by BJP leaders in connection with the allegation and demanded that law should equally apply on former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo.

PTI