Gadkari targets Sonia again

Kolkata, Jan 12 (PTI) Targeting Congress-led UPA againon the issue of corruption, BJP today accused it of lootingthe country and stuck to its allegation of Italian businessmanOttavio Quattrocchi having close proximity with Congresspresident Sonia Gandhi.

"Congress is looting the country. It has indulged in2G spectrum and CWG scam which amounts to Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

Congress which ruled the country for 56 years, gave the garibihatao slogan, but the poor remained poor. The party shouldanswer," BJP chief Nitin Gadkari said while flagging off theparty''s Srinagar-bound ''Rastriya Ekta Yatra'' here.

Gadkari alleged that Quattrochi, the key accused inthe Bofors gun deal, had free access to Sonia Gandhi''sresidence and had visited it 27 times as admitted by hisdriver during interrogation by the CBI and demanded that sheshould come clean on the issue.

Accusing the Congress-led ruling alliance of havingfailed to deliver, Gadkari said 50 per cent of the country''spopulation earned only Rs 20 per day after 63 years ofindependence and were buying onions at Rs 80 a kg withinflation at over 18 per cent.

The BJP president also alleged that Congress wasindulging in vote bank politics and encouraging infiltrationfrom neighbouring Bangladesh.

''Rastriya Ekta Yatra'' from Kolkata to Kashmir has beenorganised by Bharatiya Janata Yuba Morcha, BJP''s youth wing.

BJYM president Anurag Thakur, BJP Mahila Morchapresident Smriti Irani and state BJP chief Rahul Sinha werepresent during the flag-off.