Cong MP's sensational claim: Rajya Sabha seats sell for Rs 100 cr

A Congress Rajya Sabha member has made a sensational claim that berths in the Upper House are available for Rs 100 crore, triggering a controversy with the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday slamming the ruling party at the Centre for bringing politics to "such a low level".

Congress MP from Haryana Birender Singh said at a programme that "once someone had told me that Rs 100 crore was required to get a Rajya Sabha berth. But he said he got it for Rs 80 crore and saved Rs 20 crore. Now will people who are willing to invest Rs 100 crore, ever think of the poor

country."

BJP was quick to hit back. Party spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Prakash Javadekar said Singh must be giving his own example. "The Congress is in the habit of cutting out deals...Congress has brought politics in the country to such a low level," he said.

Singh was the All India Congress Committee General Secretary in charge of Himachal Pradesh but was dropped in the recent AICC reshuffle. There was strong speculation that he could be made a minister in the recent reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. He is a know detractor of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.