Mumbai, February 15
Relations between the Congress and its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party, has hit a new low after police seized Rs 1 crore from the car of Congress MLA from Amravati, Raosaheb Shekhawat, son of President Pratibha Patil while he was campaigning for party candidates in the civic polls.

While the opposition BJP alleged that the money was meant for distribution among voters and demanded an inquiry into the source of the cash, the Congress leadership claimed that the funds were meant for distribution among the party's candidates for the Amravati civic elections.

"I received the money from the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee for distribution among 87 candidates, many of whom are women and poor," Shekhawat told reporters in Amravati last night.

He also said he would file an application before the authorities and claim the money from a local court.

Earlier this year, the Election Commission had raised the ceiling on expenditure that can be incurred by candidates contesting civic elections. While in cities like Mumbai, the ceiling was raised to Rs 5 lakh, in D class towns like Amravati, the ceiling stands at Rs 3 lakh, said officials.

The money was seized while it was being transported by road from Nagpur. "It is unaccounted money used for distribution. The Congress has been distributing huge amounts of money in the city," a BJP leader

Sudhir Mungantiwar alleged. He added that the party has lodged a formal complaint before the Election Commission.

Embarrassed by the incident, Congress eaders are blaming its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party for the incident. "The NCP controls the home ministry in Maharastra and they did this to make us look bad," a senior Congress party leader said here. Both the Congress and the NCP are locked in tough contests in different parts of Maharashtra though they have an electoral tie-up for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.