Ahead of India Against Corruption’s (IAC) proposed exposé of BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, the party went into a huddle and discussed the possible consequences. Worried about the likely fallout, the party seems to be in a dilemma as this time it is Mr Gadkari who is in the firing line of the same source which had targeted Union minister Salman Khurshid and Robert Vadra over which the BJP has demanded Mr Khurshid’s resignation and probe into allegation against Mr Vadra. The BJP had even questioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress leadership for remaining silent over allegations against Mr Khurshid and Mr Vadra.
RTI activist and IAC member Anjali Damania had alleged that Mr Gadkari is linked to the coalgate scam and is involved in Maharashtra’s irrigation scam. Mr Gadkari and the BJP had refuted these allegations and Ms Damania was served a legal notice.
Sources disclosed senior BJP leaders met to discuss the issue and its likely consequences, especially when crucial Assembly polls are scheduled in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Corruption is one of the BJP’s major poll planks and it has been targeting the ruling Congress both inside and outside Parliament over the issue.
Despite the IAC’s threat to expose it chief, the BJP sounded confident. Sources disclosed BJP leaders are waiting to see the nature of these allegations to work on a strategy. The party also hinted at taking a legal recourse against the RTI activist.
However, a section within the party is of the view that IAC exposé might give an opportunity to those party leaders who are apparently unhappy with some of the decisions taken by Mr Gadkari, including the manner in which the Karnataka crisis is being handled, to argue against him getting a second term.
The BJP, which often takes a moral high ground on the corruption issue, had demanded the PM’s resignation over the coalgate scam.
But now, Mr Gadkari is facing allegations that he had business links with party MP Ajay Sancheti, who is said to have benefited from the scam.
Also, the Opposition and IAC had alleged that Mr Gadkari had written to the water resources ministry to speed up the process of granting of funds to contractors in an irrigation project in Maharashtra, where Mr Sancheti’s firm has also got a contract.