BJP attacks Rahul after Mallya retweeted his tweet

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday cornered Congress President Rahul Gandhi after fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya retweeted his tweet targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the hike in Indian deposits in Swiss banks in 2017.

Talking to ANI, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and whether the 'maha-thag' (fraudster) Mallya has entered into a 'mahagathbandhan' (grand-alliance) with the Opposition.

"Why is it that he sees his good days return under Rahul Gandhi's leadership? The country is asking Rahul Gandhi today, has the 'mahathag' (fraudster) entered into an alliance with the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand-alliance)? Why Vijay Mallya is waiting for Rahul Gandhi with a victory garland?)," Patra said.

Continuing his tirade against the Congress President, Patra further asked Rahul that why Mallya is endorsing him by retweeting his tweet on the micr-blogging website.

"Rahul Gandhi has tweeted against Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was retweeted by the biggest defaulter of banks Vijay Mallya. It is astonishing. The question that we all would like to ask Rahul Gandhi is 'why Mr Mallya is endorsing you?" he said.

He added, "Rahul Gandhi under your tenure, Vijay Mallya had been known as the king of good times and recently he wrote a letter to PM claiming that today under strict policies of PM Modi he has been reduced to a poster boy of bank default and he has become the lightning rod of public anger."

The remarks came after fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya retweeted a tweet of Rahul Gandhi targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rise in Indian deposits in Swiss banks in 2017.

Yesterday, the Congress chief had denounced the Prime Minister Modi government in a tweet over its promises with regard to bringing black money back to the country.

Mallya is facing a trial for the UK Court to rule if he can be extradited to India to face charges for financial irregularities involving a total amount of Rs 9,000 crore, as well as money laundering cases.

On a related note, Prime Minister Modi-led government in Centre is facing flak over a report claiming that Swiss banks reported 50 percent rise in Indian deposits in 2017 after declining for three successive years.