With the Rajasthan Assembly elections due in December, the war of words between the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP is getting louder in the state. Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje said the Congress government had tried hard to implicate her in false charges but she had come out clean after an “Agni Pariksha”. CM Ashok Gehlot however alleged that she had indulged in corruption when in power. “There are corruption charges against top BJP leaders, but we do not want to create Haryana and Tamil Nadu-like atmosphere where the former chief ministers were arrested on corruption charges,” Mr Gehlot said.
Mr Gehlot was in Nagaur while speaking to media persons.
The Congress government had constituted a three-member commission headed by a retired judge N.N. Mathur to probe cases of corruption that allegedly took place in the BJP rule. But the high court had scraped the commission.
Addressing a gathering on Thursday in Nagaur, Ms Raje said despite much efforts by the Congress government to frame her in false charges, it could not prove a single incident of corruption against her. Both Mr Gehlot and Ms Raje chose jat heartland of Nagaur to hit out against each other.
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CONG DISTANCES FROM CHACKO’S KURIEN REMARK
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, Feb. 11
The Congress party on Monday distanced itself from spokesperson P.C. Chacko’s remarks on the continuation of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P.J. Kurien. It also made it clear that the party would adopt “wait and watch” policy and act only the basis of judicial pronouncement.
On Sunday, Mr Chacko, AICC spokesperson, indicated a decision on Mr Kurien’s continuance is likely before the Budget Session of Parliament. But on Monday, the Congress clarified that this was Mr Chacko’s personal opinion.
“Whatever Chacko has said is his personal opinion,” party spokesperson Sandip Dikshit told reporters in reply to questions.
“This is an old case and some new evidence has come. So let the courts decide and we will take appropriate steps. Some new appeal has come to Supreme Court and they said they will take a relook at this case.”