Pratibha Patil continued to be the focus of attention with the NDA'S unrelenting attack on her but the UPA-Left combine ruled out replacement of its nominee.
NEW DELHI: Pratibha Patil continued to be the focus of attention today in the run-up to the Presidential elections with the NDA unrelenting in its attack on her but the UPA-Left combine ruled out replacement of its nominee.
After coming out with a booklet carrying two articles by former union minister Arun Shourie on allegations against Patil, the BJP today accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being unable to respond to what it called uncomfortable
questions on Patil.
BJP leader L K Advani also made it clear in Jabalpur that allegations against Patil stemmed from RBI reports, court rulings and media probes and asserted his party did not generate these charges.
An unfazed UPA, however, told the opposition that it was not interested in joining the slanging match by levelling allegations against NDA-backed candidate Bhairon Singh
Shekhawat.
"Tell us if there is any blot on our Presidential candidate. Don't throw mud on her for any action of her relatives," Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said, seeking to rebut point-by-point some of the allegations against her, including as head of a cooperative bank.
The Congress refrain was to paint the saffron black when it came to women. It cited the BJP's campaign against Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Patil in support of its charges.
On its part, the NDA admitted it does not entertain any hopes of Patil pulling out of the race. "I am not expecting her to withdraw .... I don't think she will withdraw," NDA spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said.
She flayed Dasmunsi for his comments that the Election Commission should take note of BJP leader L K Advani's call for a conscience vote, saying the former deputy prime
minister's appeal was no different from the one issued by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in favour of Zakir Hussain.
Swaraj said the NDA on its part would file a complaint with the Election Commission tomorrow against the Congress, whom she accused of using undue influence on voters in the presidential elections.
Yesterday, top Congress leaders, including the Prime Minister and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, met to deliberate on the strategy for the July 19 poll in the backdrop of the NDA's offensive on Patil.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}