Two senior BJP leaders on Tuesday distanced the party from the UPA’s controversial gas pricing that has been targeted by Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal. They also accused Kejriwal of coming up with non-existent statistics for making a case against BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Gujarat.
Hours after Arun Jaitley indicated that the next government may have to reconsider or revisit the gas pricing mechanism, Ravi Shankar Prasad issued a 12-point response to Kejriwal, highlighting how BJP leaders had sought a rethink on gas pricing formulation.
“I think as the situation has evolved itself, it may require a reconsideration or revisiting by the next government,” Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said at a Google Hangout session organised by private television Network 18.
Jaitley also addressed questions about the opposition’s campaign painting Modi as an autocratic leader. “A state might be run by a single person, such as the chief minister. It is different at the Centre. We will fully exploit Modi’s charisma in the elections; in running the government he will lead a team. This won’t be Modi’s personal government, it will be a national government,” Jaitley said.
Later, the party challenged Kejriwal’s Gujarat “study tour” claims, dismissed charges of crony capitalism and questioned his silence on the AgustaWestland case.
{{/usCountry}}Later, the party challenged Kejriwal’s Gujarat “study tour” claims, dismissed charges of crony capitalism and questioned his silence on the AgustaWestland case.
{{/usCountry}}“The question for Arvind Kejriwal is why did his party not raise its voice or demand an FIR in the Augusta case which directly involved Sonia Gandhi?” the party asked, suggesting there was a nexus between Gandhi and Kejriwal.
The BJP has also sought an apology from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a tweet by his media advisor, Pankaj Pachauri, providing wrong information regarding Gujarat’s economic development.