Mumbai:
Congressman Rahul Gandhi today concluded the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra in Mumbai with some barbs against enemies and former friends. While the heavy artillery was reserved for the BJP, a senior leader, believed to be Ashok Chavan, who recently switched over to the BJP, was given special attention.
Without naming the former Maharashtra chief minister and MP, Gandhi hinted that he had crossed over to avoid the central probe agencies.
“We are fighting with a force. The question now is, what is that force. The soul of a king lies in the EVMs, ED (Enforcement Directorate), CBI, Income Tax,” Mr Gandhi said while addressing a mammoth crowd at Mumbai. .
“I don't want to name names, but a senior leader from this state has left Congress. Crying, he said to my mother, “Sonia-ji, I am ashamed to say that I do not have the power to fight this. people, this power. “I don't want to go to jail,” he added.
The Congress has once again leveled the 'washing machine' charge against the BJP after Chavan switched sides last month, soon after another key leader, Milind Deora.
State Congress chief Nana Patole, with whom he had serious differences, said the reason was the mention of the Adarsh scam in a White Paper presented in Parliament.
Three cases are pending against Mr Chavan, two of which are related to the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society.
Mr Chavan was the state's finance minister in 2000, when land in Colaba was allegedly illegally allotted to the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society.
The veteran leader has attributed several differences with the Congress as the reason for his exit from the party.