Cong says Gadkari jittery after probe targets BJP member

The AICC also steered clear of the BJP's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe in the issue, maintaining it was for the government to take a view.

"The personality of BJP President is that of a spoilt brat who is prepared to go to any extent to focus attention on himself," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.

He was reacting to the allegations of Gadkari, who said that the increased allocations for Games project were approved by the Cabinet and PMO and that the political leadership was involved into the irregularities.

Tewari said that the BJP President is "intimidated and afraid because a number of BJP leaders have come under the ambit of investigation and are getting caught".

"Probably he (Gadkari) feels that the investigation might reach up to him also. That's why he (Gadkari) has held a press conference to divert attention," Tewari said.

The BJP president's remarks came hours after Income Tax department conducted searches at the premises of businessman and BJP activist Sudhanshu Mittal in connection with the CWG preparations.

Pointing out that the press conference of BJP on the issue was planned much before the search operation at Mittal's premises, the Congress spokesperson said that somebody might have tipped off the BJP President about it earlier.

"The BJP President has said nothing new today. All these things have earlier been said by BJP in the Lok Sabha.... If the party has to say something more, it can place its views before the probe committee constituted by the Prime Minister," Tewari said.

Gadkari, at a press conference here, had demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into alleged irregularities in various projects of the Commonwealth Games.
Terming the alleged bungling as a "very big scam", Gadkari said a detailed probe should be held by a JPC to "uncover the involvement of the political leadership".

With the political temperatures rising on the CWG irregularities, Congress sources have been maintaining that there would be no mercy or cover-up but there will be no witch-hunt either.

A meeting of the Estimates Committee of the Lok Sabha is scheduled this Thursday and the Committee is expected to come out with its report on the Commonwealth Games during the winter session beginning November 9.