Team Anna questions Cong poll expenses, party hits back

Team Anna reignited its war of words with the Congress party on Monday by asking the ruling party to make public the expenses incurred by it for hiring choppers for its top leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign in five states. Disclose poll expenses of Rahul, Sonia: Team Anna

Team Anna reignited its war of words with the Congress party on Monday by asking the ruling party to make public the expenses incurred by it for hiring choppers for its top leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign in five states.

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In a scathing reply, the Congress said the details of party's election expenditure would be submitted to the Election Commission and not to Team Anna.

"Elections (are) over. Diggy Raja (Digvijay Singh) should make Rahul's helicopter and party's other election expenses and sources public. Other parties should also do that," key team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal wrote on the social networking site, Twitter.

He said all political parties should put their election expenses in public domain. He also said Singh had repeatedly asked Team Anna to make public the money they collected and spent on their protest demonstrations for the lokpal bill. "We gave all details on our website, the list of donors, expenses etc. So, we want to know from Digvijay Singh, all Congress leaders including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, how much they spent on helicopters and rallies."

Reacting to the remarks, Singh said the Congress will "declare the expenses to the Election Commission and not to Arvind Kejriwal."

Party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary said Kejriwal had no moral right to ask for such details since "he had no time even to cast his vote which shows that he does not have any respect for the democracy".

Kejriwal hit back at Singh and the Congress saying: "Diggy Raja is hiding behind the EC? Why (are they) afraid of public? Is Congress accountable to public?." He said no party was willing to publish poll expenses and this raised suspicion.