The Tories have denied that rules were broken by a businessman aiming to become the party's first Asian Member of the Scottish Parliament.

Concern has been expressed within the party about the tactics used by Ashraf Anjum to secure a high place on the Conservatives' regional top-up list.

Party membership in Glasgow rose by 16% in one day, with almost all of the additional 113 members said to come from the Asian community.

There have been complaints that the subscription fees for new members were paid in a lump sum of �1,700.

There was mixed news for the party

Activists within the party believe the new members signed up specifically to vote for Mr Anjum, who runs an electrical firm and was once an aide to the Labour MP for Govan, Mohammad Sarwar.

Mr Anjum said he did not engineer the situation and the cash payments were probably a reflection of many in the Asian community prefer to do business.

Mr Anjum said: "I didn't organise anything. I did ask friends to become members and they became members.

"I think in our community people don't like paying direct debits so maybe they have paid by cash, which is not very uncommon."

Scottish Tory chairman, David Mitchell, denied that there had been any wrongdoing and said he was delighted at the rise in party membership.

Standing down

"I have already spoken to party officers and to our prospective candidates in Glasgow and I am entirely satisfied that there was no breach of the rules governing constituency associations or the individuals who represent them," he said.

"In view of this I welcome the increase in the Glasgow membership as I would do in any association."

In a separate move, Dr Kate Pickering, the party's candidate for Glasgow Kelvin, has announced she is standing down seven months ahead of the elections.

Dr Pickering cited personal reasons for her decision.