Launching a blistering attack on BJP leader L K Advani for calling UPA-Left’s Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil “tainted”, the Congress described him as a “frustrated politician” and challenged the NDA to produce proof to back up their allegation that she was involved in a cooperative bank scam.

The Sonia Gandhi-led party, adopting an aggressive posture, also said that Ms Patil would “reply” to all the charges levelled against her by the BJP-NDA once she began her campaign on July 1. “There is not a single allegation against Ms Patil at any court, in any audit bureau, in any RBI document or cooperative bank document. These are not even allegations, these are cooked up stories. Tell me the charges against her... I am waiting to hear,” her chief election manager and Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said.

Accusing Mr Advani of denigrating the position of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha by speaking “demeaningly” about Ms Patil, he said: “Even BJP President Rajnath Singh and former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee did not make any personal allegation against Ms Patil. But Mr Advani, frustrated within and outside, called her a tainted candidate without citing any document or stricture from any court.”

“It is a comment totally unsubstantiated, unqualified and deplorable,” he added.

EC’s attention
Mr Dasmunsi also drew the Election Commission’s attention to Mr Advani’s comment that the BJP would carry out a fortnight-long campaign to mount public pressure on MPs and MLAs to exercise their “conscience vote” in the Presidential election in favour of NDA-backed Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

“Can conscience vote be got under pressure? This reflects the mind of a fascist and frustrated leader, and we ask the EC to look after the security of MPs and MLAs in the light of this irresponsible and dangerous comment,” he said, adding that Mr Advani’s comment was not like the “appeal” made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking support for Ms Patil from all political parties.

Asked about Ms Patil’s controversial comments about “communicating” with the late Dada Lekhraj of the Brahmakumari sect, Mr Dasmunsi defended her saying: “She never said she believed in superstitions. Like every citizen, she has the right to believe in god and religion.”

In a lighter vein, he added, “Aatma aur paramatma se sampark maha maha yogi karte hain, hum aap jaise sadharan log iske baare mein kya kahen (Only great saints can connect with divine spirits and the beyond... how can ordinary mortals like you and me comment on this)?”