Cong leaders mum on Vadra deals

The state unit of the Congress party is looking divided and puzzled over the controversy of alleged illegal land deals involving Robert Vadra in Rajasthan. 

Even after the state BJP cleared its stand on conducting a fair probe in the controversial land deals, none of the senior Congress leaders from the state have come forward to condemn the charges.

Sources said that though Rajathan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot, Union minister Jitendra Singh, AICC General secretary C P Joshi are all close to Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, none of these leaders has taken a stand against BJP’s allegations on the Vadra issue. Even the Congress leaders in the state find it surprising as to why these bigwigs are reluctant to defend the party over this issue, said sources.

“Leaders like Sachin Pilot, C P Joshi, Jitendra Singh and Jyoti Mirdha are very close to Gandhi family, particularly Rahul Gandhi. Surprisingly, none of the leaders are opening their mouths on this issue, even when BJP leaders assured of a probe in this matter. It’s giving a wrong message in the lower ranks of the party,” said a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity.

Local party leaders are now speculating that either the top leadership is playing strategically or lacks a convincing answer to the accusations.

“Silence of Congress leaders over the Vadra issue could help the BJP sharpen its attacks at the local level. Either it is the top leadership which has asked them not to make any comments or they themselves are confused over the land deals,” said a Congress leader.

It was only former chief minister Ashok Gehlot who took no time to condemn the charges made by BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad a few days ago when BJP released a CD and a booklet titled ‘Damad Shri’. 

Following the miserable defeat of the party in Assembly elections, Gehlot was completely sidelined in this Lok Sabha election. Party workers have now started drawing comparisons among senior leaders and Gehlot for their audacity in defending the party on this issue.