Bhopal Bharatiya Janata Party MP Pragya Singh Thakur on Monday claimed that the Opposition was using “marak shakti” (power to kill), to harm the saffron party leaders, ANI reported. She said the “evil power” was behind the recent deaths of several BJP leaders.

Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley died on August 24, former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj died on August 6, and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babulal Gaur died on August 21. Thakur made the comments at a condolence meeting at the state BJP office to pay tributes to Jaitley and Gaur.

“When I was contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a Maharaj-ji told me to strengthen my saadhana [prayers] as bad times are upon us and Opposition is up to something using some ‘marak shakti’ against BJP,” Thakur claimed. “I forgot what he said, but now when I see our top leaders Sushma ji, Babulal ji, Jaitley ji leaving us one by one after undergoing pain, I am forced to think, wasn’t Maharaj ji right?”

She claimed that the seer asked her not to lessen her penance and that she is also a “target”.

“Our leaders are leaving us before time,” Thakur said. “You can believe it or choose not to. But the truth can’t change.”

BJP’s National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and Leader of Opposition in MP Vidhan Sabha Gopal Bhargava were also present when Thakur made these statements, NDTV reported. “Everyone has his or her own viewpoint,” Bhargava said. “I can talk about myself and not anyone else.”

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s son Jaivardhan Singh criticised her comments and called them unfortunate. “We knew Arun Jaitley ji, Sushma Swaraj ji, Babulal Gaur sahab – all very senior leaders, very well respected, and to blame that Opposition is doing some black magic is very unfortunate,” Singh said. He added that Thakur should take back her words.

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