Following the conclusion of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress’ Rahul Gandhi addressed the opposition INDIA bloc rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. While most of the barbs during his speech were reserved for the BJP-led Centre, a senior leader, who quit Congress to join the BJP, found a special mention.
Joined by Opposition leaders such as MK Stalin and Uddhav Thackeray, Rahul Gandhi dwelt on the twin themes of corruption and the autonomy of democratic institutions in a speech that lasted an hour.
“We are fighting with a power. Now the question is, what is that power? The soul of a king lies in the EVMs, ED (Enforcement Directorate), CBI, Income tax,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Though Rahul did not name the leader, he was believed to be referring to Maharashtra Chief Minister and MP Ashok Chavan when he spoke about the BJP’s misuse of central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate.
“I don’t want to name names, but a senior leader from this state left the Congress. Weeping, he told my mother, ‘Sonia-ji, I’m ashamed to say, I do not have the power to fight this people, this force. I do not want to go to jail’,” he added.
The Congress has levelled the “washing machine” allegation against the BJP again referring to Chavan’s exit last month, shortly after another key leader, Milind Deora.
Ashok Chavan Reacts
BJP Rajya Sabha member Ashok Chavan on Monday said he did not meet Sonia Gandhi before leaving the grand old party and dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s comments in this regard as “baseless”.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s statements, Chavan in a video message said Rahul Gandhi made the statement in a rally on Sunday and did not take anybody’s name. “But if he is saying that about me, then it is illogical and baseless. The truth is that till I resigned from the Congress, I was working at the party headquarters. I resigned from the post of MLA and a few moments later resigned from the party also. Till then, no one knew that I had resigned,” the former state chief minister said.
“I never met Sonia Gandhi. It is baseless (to say) that I met Sonia Gandhi and expressed my emotions. It is a political statement from the election point of view,” Chavan said.
After Chavan quit the Congress last month, he joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which nominated him for the Rajya Sabha poll from Maharashtra.
Chavan was later declared elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed. In 2010, Chavan stepped down as chief minister following allegations of involvement in the Adarsh housing scam in Mumbai. He was also state Congress chief during 2014-19.
Chavan has three cases pending against him, two of which are linked to the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society.
Chavan was the revenue minister of Maharashtra in 2000, when land in Colaba was allegedly allotted illegally for the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society.
(With PTI inputs)
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