Congress goes on the offensive

NEW DELHI: Mounting a counter offensive against Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the first time, the Congress on Friday trashed the fresh allegation that Pratibha Patil, UPA-Left presidential nominee, flouted MPLADS (MPs' Local Area Development Scheme) guidelines.

The Congress hinted that it would no longer remain a mute spectator of "mudslinging" by the NDA and "handlers of Shekhawat" and would bring to the fore some "unsavoury episode" concerning Shekhawat.

Responding to the charge that Maharashtra government leased out 25,000 sq ft prime land in Amaravati for setting up an education society by Patil's husband and in 1996 as MP Patil allocated Rs.36 lakhs from her MPLADs for a sports complex there, the Congress said the  report which appeared in a section of the press is "misleading".

Congress sources said the new charge appeared only on Friday morning and they are yet to gather full facts. They said MPLADS guidelines were being changed from time to time and in 1996 many aspects were in the grey area.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the Vice Presidednt needs to come clean on "serious allegations" made against him. Singhvi said the nation has a right to know why Shekhawat joined the British police during 1942 Quit India movement instead of joining the freedom fighters.

"When people were plunging into the freedom movement, Shekhawat joined the police force and he resigned from the police when India got Independence," the Congress leader said.