'Sonia to reply on Bofors'

MANDATE 2004

While demands for action against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi began coming in following reports of her alleged links with principal beneficiary of kickback in the Bofors gun deal, Italian businessman Octavio Quattrochi, former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani said Gandhi would give a fitting reply to the issues raised by the Opposition tomorrow.

"After the Tehelka expose of defence deals happened, BJP chief Bangaru Laxman and Samata Party chief Jaya Jaitley resigned. Sonia should follow their examples and resign immediately from the post of Congress chief," JD(U) spokesman Shiv Kumar said here today.

Jethmalani, who is currently defending the Hinduja brothers, accused in the Bofors scam, is also likely to be supported by the Congress to contest against Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow.

"As far as I know, Sonia will give a fitting reply tomorrow to questions posed by BJP leader Arun Jaitley on the scam," Jethmalani said.