Congress attacks Mayawati's gift culture
A day before BSP chief Mayawati’s opulent birthday celebrations are held, the Congress has openly attacked her and her party’s “gift culture”.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: A day before BSP chief Mayawati’s opulent birthday celebrations are held, the Congress has openly attacked her and her party’s “gift culture”. Party general secretary in-charge of UP, Digvijay Singh, has said that the Income-Tax tribunal’s clean chit to her for huge cash and properties, that the body accepted were gifts, would lead to “corruption” becoming “legalised forever”.
Interestingly, the party termed the I-T tribunal’s order as “unusual” when the issue came to light in the media about 10 days ago. The Congress, which had restricted itself to attacking Ms Mayawati’s government on the law and order front till then, has now chosen to sharpen its attack on her for personal corruption as well.
The development comes about week after Ms Mayawati alleged that certain Congress leaders were conspiring to “eliminate” her. She also threatened to withdraw support from the UPA government after January 15, when her birthday is set to celebrated with its usual fill of generous monetary “gifts” from party workers in Lucknow.
As the relations between the Congress and BSP have acquired a distinctly bitter character—Ms Mayawati is after the Congress’ Dalit votes in many states—in an almost inevitable development the former has begun to tone down its stance against the opposition Samajwadi Party in UP.
The Congress and SP relations had hit a low in the run up to the UP polls last year with the Congress hitting out at the Mulayam Singh government for corruption among other things. The party also had many rancorous exchanges with SP leader Amar Singh. However, with the BSP’s strategy and statements are now making the Congress sound ambivalent about the SP.
The party on Monday hinted that it was not averse to accepting the SP chief’s offer for co-operation but added that he would have to talk to the Congress high command. “If Mr Yadav is serious, he is entitled to talk at the appropriate levels with Congress and need not talk to us through the press,” said party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He, however, pointed that co-operation between the Congress and another party would have be based on “understanding and trust” in a reference to the SP having withdrawn support to the UPA some months back.
Interestingly, the party termed the I-T tribunal’s order as “unusual” when the issue came to light in the media about 10 days ago. The Congress, which had restricted itself to attacking Ms Mayawati’s government on the law and order front till then, has now chosen to sharpen its attack on her for personal corruption as well.
The development comes about week after Ms Mayawati alleged that certain Congress leaders were conspiring to “eliminate” her. She also threatened to withdraw support from the UPA government after January 15, when her birthday is set to celebrated with its usual fill of generous monetary “gifts” from party workers in Lucknow.
As the relations between the Congress and BSP have acquired a distinctly bitter character—Ms Mayawati is after the Congress’ Dalit votes in many states—in an almost inevitable development the former has begun to tone down its stance against the opposition Samajwadi Party in UP.
The Congress and SP relations had hit a low in the run up to the UP polls last year with the Congress hitting out at the Mulayam Singh government for corruption among other things. The party also had many rancorous exchanges with SP leader Amar Singh. However, with the BSP’s strategy and statements are now making the Congress sound ambivalent about the SP.
The party on Monday hinted that it was not averse to accepting the SP chief’s offer for co-operation but added that he would have to talk to the Congress high command. “If Mr Yadav is serious, he is entitled to talk at the appropriate levels with Congress and need not talk to us through the press,” said party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi. He, however, pointed that co-operation between the Congress and another party would have be based on “understanding and trust” in a reference to the SP having withdrawn support to the UPA some months back.
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