New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday called as "stunning" Congress leader Margaret Alva's allegation of corruption during distribution of party tickets in May 2008 Karnataka assembly elections, but the Congress rubbished the charge.

"The general secretary of the Congress party, Margaret Alva has made a stunning revelation. This has thrown up a cash-for-ticket scam," BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said here.

Margaret Alva Thursday alleged the ticket distribution for the Karnataka assembly elections in May 2008 was bungled and some party leaders took money to select candidates.

The Congress has strongly denied it all. "The Congress does not agree to the allegations by our senior and seasoned leader Margaret Alva that money is used in the distribution of tickets," party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Sighvi told reporters.

Singhvi said during elections many people may differ on some candidates but such differences were not to be aired in public. He said winnability and party ideology are the only criterion to give tickets for elections.

Rudy, meanwhile, alleged, "While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tried to buy votes during the trust vote, this is a new scam the Congress has come up with".

"It should be seriously taken note of. This is the core of parliamentary democracy," Rudy said.

 

Source : IANS