This Newly Inducted MoS Was Once Jailed in Cash-For-Votes Scam

Faggan Singh Kulaste is BJP’s “man for all seasons”.

On Tuesday, Faggan Singh Kulaste made news for his induction into the Narendra Modi’s Cabinet as a Minister of State. Eight years ago, the 57-year-old lawmaker made news for his involvement in a scandal that came to be known as the “cash-for-votes” scam.

Kulaste and his colleague in 2008 had claimed that they had been “bribed” to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government in the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha. That led him to spend two months in jail. Later, he was acquitted.

Veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, in his book, 2014: The Election That Changed India, had revealed the making of the “cash-for-votes” sting operation. Sardesai wrote:

The cash-for-votes scandal had broken out during the nuclear deal vote in Parliament in 2008. There had been much speculation at the time that MPs were being offered bribes by both sides but we were not being given any evidence. CPI leader AB Bardhan had even claimed that Rs 25 crore was being offered to each MP for their vote...