BJP suffering from 'Uma-titis', says Congress

JAIPUR: Taking a breather from the Volcker maelstrom, the Congress on Sunday found time for a jibe at the BJP saying the opposition is suffering from "Uma-titis".

"The BJP is suffering from Uma-titis," AICC spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in a reference to firebrand leader Uma Bharati's expulsion from the BJP and what led to it.

He was dealing with a barrage of questions relating to the Iraqi oil payoffs and Union Minister K Natwar Singh at a news conference in Jaipur.

The saffron party should control the indiscipline in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and refrain from "political sensationalisation" on other issues, he said.

Turning to Rajasthan, the spokesman alleged that the BJP government had misled farmers by approving a mega IT park and knowledge corridor project under a special economic zone (SEZ) that would benefit a private player with a jackpot of Rs 7,000 crore and free infrastructure facilities.

Singhvi said the Cabinet meeting that passed the MoU for the project was "unconstitutional and deliberate" and Chief Minister Vasunndhara Raje should come up with a "transparent project and its terms of reference" before giving it to the Centre for approval.

"The Congress will oppose this project whenever and whereever required at any level. We will urge the Central government to look into irregularities and financial bungling".