‘Desperate BJP concocting stories’

Congress says BJP was resorting to a cocktail of falsehoods, half-truths and concoctions for the purpose of spreading canards against Pratibha Patil, reports Srinand Jha.

Having developed a scare from a woman, the Opposition BJP – in a fit of desperation – has resorted to a cocktail of falsehoods, half-truths and concoctions for purposes of spreading canards against the UPA Presidential nominee Pratibha Patil and muddying the poll process, the Congress has charged.

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"Our commitment to upholding the dignity of the President's post prevents us from raising questions about the Vice President's educational qualifications," Congress spokesman Abhishekh Manu Singhvi said.

On the other hand, the BJP is delving deeper in its "perverse" game of throwing up wild, outlandish and even amusing charges against the UPA nominee, Singhvi said.

Responding to the BJP charge that the Congress was attempting to terrorise voters of the electoral college by submitting a disqualification petition against Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's principal proposer K Natwar Singh, the Congress spokesperson said this allegation was "laughable".

However, contrary to the position earlier articulated, Singhvi said on Friday that the draft petition seeking Singh's disqualification for anti-party activities had been shown to Sekhawat and taken back in May. Last Tuesday, Singhvi had stated that a draft petition had been submitted to the Vice President in May, had been returned on technical grounds and then been re-submitted on June 26.