AAP, Congress hit out at Gadkari over deal remarks

The AAP and Congress Sunday hit out at BJP leader Nitin Gadkari for his remarks about a deal between the two parties for forming a government in Delhi, asking him to furnish evidence.

New Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia asked the Bharatiya Janata Party's former president to name those involved in the supposed deal.

Gadkari should come out with proof to back his allegation, he said.

"He should tell the names. Which hotel was it? Who were the people so that we may also ask people in our party," Sisodia told reporters.

Gadkari, the head of the BJP election campaign in Delhi, had alleged that the AAP and Congress had struck a deal to prevent his party's government in Delhi.

This deal, he added, was also aimed at derailing the appeal of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the information had been conveyed by a person who knew about a supposed meeting held at a five-star hotel between representatives of the AAP and the Congress.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana supported him.

"There is truth in what Mr Gadkari has said," Khurana told IANS.

However, a party leader, who did not want to be quoted said that Gadkari appeared to have made the remarks in a hurry.

Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed, however, said Gadkari's remarks were "ridiculous and a complete lie".

"Gadkari and his party are famous for executing deals, not the Congress party. He should come with certain concrete evidence. When you speak lies, evidence is not available," Ahmed told IANS.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had Saturday refuted Gadkari's charges and said that it was very unfortunate that a senior leader is making such unfounded allegations.