BJP targets Rahul’s aide in CWG graft

NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday amplified its attack on Congress over corruption charges by bringing into its line of fire “other” Cabinet ministers in the 2G spectrum controversy and a close aide of Rahul Gandhi in the CWG irregularities.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari demanded the ouster of “other ministers involved in the scam”, besides A Raja.

“This money was not looted by Raja only... Congress leaders were also involved... Money has not only gone to Chennai. It has benefited Congress also,” Mr Gadkari said addressing a public rally in Najafgarh.

BJP has also targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying he should clarify if he was consulted on the decisions taken on 2G spectrum. Though Mr Gadkari did not name any minister, his finger-pointing is likely to deepen the Congress-BJP confrontation.

“Has Raja alone siphoned off the money. Has the prime minister not signed the files? If he was wrong, then why was he not stopped...? It is not just Raja who will have to go, other ministers who are involved in it will also have to go,” Mr Gadkari said.

He also linked Kanishka Singh, a close aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in the CWG issue. “Emaar MGF, the firm that built the Games village is involved in a scam of `2,000 crore. Who owns this company? One of its owners is one Gupta. His nephew Kanishka Singh is the political secretary of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. I seek answers on this from Sonia Gandhi,” Mr Gadkari said.

However, Kanishka Singh has refuted the charges as “entirely baseless, false and with an ulterior purpose”.

On Congress sacking CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, Mr Gadkari said he was not the only one involved in CWG scam and that other Congress ministers also had played a role. “There are many other players like Kalmadi in this scam,” he said.