Never claimed to be the Congress spokesperson: Digvijay Singh

GUNA (MP): Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, who was recently snubbed by the party for his remarks against Mamata Banerjee, today said he never claimed to be the party spokesperson and statements given by him so far were his "personal" views.

"I never claimed to be a spokesman of the party (Congress) and whatever statements I used to give on various issues were based on my personal opinion," he told reporters.

Singh said he was not attending the Congress Working Committee ( CWC) meeting in Delhi today due to prior engagements and had informed the party high-command in this regard.

"I am not attending the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting today in New Delhi as I have informed about my pre-decided programmes to the Congress high-command and after taking due permission, I have arrived here," he said, adding not attending the meeting does not mean he was "angry" with Congress.

"If I am not taking part in the CWC meeting, that doesn't mean that I am annoyed with the party..I will never get angry with Congress in my lifetime," he said.

Evading a direct reply to Union minister of state Jyotiraditya Scindia's statement terming the state unit Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria as the "natural claimant" for the chief minister's post, Singh replied,"in Congress there is a general tradition that MLAs elect their leader after polls".

Referring to recent income tax raids on the business establishments and residences of "close BJP aides" Sudhir Sharma and Dilip Suryavanshi, Singh said the latter has had "old relations" with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Singh also demanded that cabinet minister Lakshmikant Sharma be booked under the Arms Act as a revolver belonging to him was recovered from Sharma's premises.

He alleged that the state BJP leaders and bureaucrats have formed a nexus with contractors in generating black money.