Congress slams Narendra Modi's silence on Yeddyurappa, Mutalik, Ali

MUMBAI: Congress today lashed out Narendra Modi for targeting Ashok Chavan on corruption and asked why he was silent about tainted leaders in his party like B S Yeddyurappa and Sriramulu.

It also questioned the BJP's PM candidate did not speak about controversial leaders Pramod Muthalik and Sabir Ali, who were inducted by his party only to be dumped within hours.

"The CBI chargesheeted Yeddurappa and the former Karnataka Chief Minister went to jail as well, but the BJP did not think twice before readmitting him. Same was the case with Sriramulu. BJP reinducted them and nominated them as party candidates," Maharashtra unit spokesman Sachin Sawant said.

Sriramulu is a close aid of the jailed mining baron Janardhan Reddy.

Modi has made Puroshottam Solanki and Babu Bokharia ministers in his cabinet, despite the court convicting them. Similarly, the BJP has given tickets to two MLAs who were accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots, Sawant said.

"I wonder why Modi is silent about Pramod Mutalik and Sabir Ali, who were inducted into the BJP and thrown out in a matter of few hours," he said.

According to Sawant, Adarsh Society was not meant for Kargil war widows and Modi was misleading people on this issue.

"Why is he silent about BJP MP Ajay Sancheti's nine flats in the society, owned in other people's names," Sawant asked.

He alleged that Modi had asked for money as reimbursement for cattlefeed sent from Gujarat during the drought, Sawant said.

Chavan dismissed Modi's tirade against him and accused the BJP prime ministerial candidate of trying to create disturbance in the country and Maharashtra.

He, however, said that there was "no need to worry" about Maharashtra."It is a well developed state and people here are secular," the former Chief Minister said as Modi addressed a series of rallies in Vidarbha where he attacked Congress for fielding Adarsh scam tainted Chavan and on farmer suicides.

"He (Modi) has been trying to create disturbance in the country as well as Maharashtra but it won't make any difference in Nanded," Chavan said.

"'Shahzada' had said he won't compromise with corruption. They said there would be an investigation. For Congress giving ticket is taking action.... Shameless. What Adarsh candidates they have...," Modi said today taking on Rahul Gandhi for fielding tainted leaders at an election meeting in Nanded from where Chavan is contesting.