BJP to gun for Gandhis, PM afresh | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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BJP to gun for Gandhis, PM afresh

Hindustan Times | ByShekhar Iyer, New Delhi
Jan 11, 2011 11:21 PM IST

The BJP's new strategy against Congress on the issue of corruption is to direct more attacks on Sonia Gandhi and her family on cases where "it can stick" and on the Prime Minister where the government is seen as "culpable."

The BJP's new strategy against Congress on the issue of corruption is to direct more attacks on Sonia Gandhi and her family on cases where "it can stick" and on the Prime Minister where the government is seen as "culpable."

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Also, the BJP won't let its attention or energy trapped in defending the RSS, which is feeling the heat due to the CBI probe into the "saffron link" to terrorism in the country. In other words, the party's strategists won't let its anti-corruption plank get derailed by any overdrive to defend the Sangh.

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In the run-up to the budget session, which is likely to see a fresh bout of standoff between the government and the Opposition, the BJP will again try and link the saga of Italian businessman Ottavio Quatrochchi in connection with the 24-year-old bribery case with Sonia Gandhi and her family.

The BJP will also strive hard to pin the responsibility for the 2G telecom spectrum scam and other irregularities to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's "silence" and his "inability" — rather than accuse him of an involvement — to stop sleaze.

Senior BJP leaders, who wrapped up their Guwahati conclave approving this strategy, believe this is the best way to be keep up the heat on UPA this year when the assembly polls are held in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The party leaders say there is renewed enthusiasm among BJP cadres following the troubles the Congress finds itself in the UPA's second term in office.

"Our approach is to put pressure on Sonia Gandhi for the Bofors issue and the 2G spectrum scam and other sleaze cases on the Prime Minister," a top BJP leader said.

Interestingly, the BJP does not see a "big" potential yet in the 2G spectrum cases to allege involvement of the Congress's first family in the irregularities — though the role of the DMK leaders have been established by the investigative agencies.

Similarly, the party awaits further probe to show links between those involved in the Commonwealth Games 2010 held in Delhi and the top Congress leaders. "It's still a few individuals like Suresh Kalmadi though we know he couldn't have been alone to handle the way he did," said the party functionary.

"We are not going to drag Sonia Gandhi's name in connection with the CWG or other scams unless evidence crops up…but that's not the case when it comes to the Bofors," said a senior BJP leader on his return from Guwahati.

"The story of the Bofors investigation is a clear case right from the beginning as to how the scam beneficiaries were helped by successive Congress governments to escape probe," said the BJP leader.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!
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