PMO should clarify who was spreading rumours about Rajnath Singh's son: Left

NEW DELHI: With Narendra Modi government facing embarrassment over "rumours" about "alleged misconduct" by Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son, Left parties today said the rift within the ruling BJP was now out in the open and the PMO should clarify who was spreading these "rumours".

"It is very much evident that there are differences in the BJP. How to solve this, is the party's internal matter. Now, they have to decide," senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said here.

Obvserving that reports about Rajnath Singh's son Pankaj being ticked off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an "alleged misconduct" has been circulating in the media for a long time, CPI leader D Raja said the "sudden" reaction of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has not only raised "several questions", but also reflected "PMO's desperation".

"It shows that all is not well in BJP. Without any fire, there cannot be any smoke. It shows there are lot of things....there is internal strife in BJP," the CPI National Secretary said, adding that the PMO's clarification "shows there is more to the rumours than meets the eye and the PMO was finding it difficult to explain".

"Who is spreading these rumours, the PMO should clarify as it has all the wherewithal and is known for snooping," Raja said.

Meanwhile, CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy attacked the Modi government for "arrogance of power and misuse of authority" which, he said, was reflected in the appointment of new Governors without the customary consultation with the chief ministers concerned.

"With the appointment of four more governors from the Sangh Parivar, the BJP government is carrying forward the bad tradition of Congress, to rehabilitate those who could not be accommodated otherwise. BJP while in opposition had criticised this tradition," he said.