Sonia Gandhi should lodge case if info in CD on Robert Vadra is false: BJP

Lucknow: BJP leader Nitin Gadkari challenged Sonia Gandhi to lodge a case against the party if she believes that the information given in the CD and booklet on alleged land deals of Robert Vadra is false.

Replying to a question regarding the timing of the CD, Gadkari said, "The issue is not of timing. Soniaji must answer. She must say it is wrong and if it is false, she should lodge a case."

"It would have been better if Soniaji had taken an initiative for a judicial inquiry in the Vadra issue," he said on Monday.

Gadkari said silence of the Congress president and her party indicate that there was something wrong somewhere.

On Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi's statement that a big heart is needed to run the country, the BJP leader said, "those who run the government by threatening their allies are talking about big heartedness."

"Our leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a big heart. Our party has big heart," he added.

Gadkari, who is here to campaign for BJP national president Rajnath Singh, said inflation would descend by 25 per cent within six months of the formation of BJP-led NDA government in the leadership of Narendra Modi.

"Due to poor governance and wrong economic policies of the Congress-led UPA government, corruption, inflation and unemployment have increased in the country," he alleged.

Gadkari claimed that growth rate of BJP ruled states was four times higher than those ruled by Congress.

Meanwhile, Congress dismissed BJP's attack on Vadra for his alleged land dealings as "trash allegations" saying the opposition party has got "nervous" becasue of Priyanka Gandhis' campaign that is "resonating" in North India.

"It is very clear that BJP is rattled. They are nervous because of the campaigning by Priyanka Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Amethi and the kid of response she has been getting as also that of Rahul Gandhi's and Sonia Gandhi's intense campaigning.

"Earlier they were thinking that it's a cakewalk. Now they have realized that the heat is on them. So, it is very clear that they are bringing in issues and personal matters. Robert Vadra is a private individual. He is under attack because he is married to Priyanka Gandhi," Union Minister Anand Sharma said.

He also said BJP could have filed an FIR if there was any violation of law.

"If there is any violation of law, which I don't think there is, BJP could have filed an FIR. It can give an affidavit. Why after six phases of elections are over, suddenly they are releasing videos? All this shows their desperation," Sharma said.

Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala described the information given in the CD and booklet on alleged land deals of Vadra brought out by BJP as "trash allegations made by an elementary school kid".

"Priyanka's campaign is resonating in the North India, although she is campaigning only in Rae Bareli and Amethi," he said tracing it to be the reason behind BJP's renewed attack on Vadra.

To a question whether this signals a larger political role for Priyanka, he said she has always made it clear that she will be restricting herself to the two parliamentary constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi represented by mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi.

Surjewala, however, steered clear of quesions as to whether she can go to offer prayers in Varanasi where Narendra Modi is in fray.

"That is not in my knowledge," he said but added that "as a free citizen, she can go to anywhere."