Lalit Modi drags Varun Gandhi, Jaitley, Shukla into row

Former IPL chief Lalit Modi on Wednesday continued his belligerent attack on leaders across party lines, dragging BJP MP Varun Gandhi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as well as Congress MP Rajeev Shukla into the controversy.

Modi said he met Varun Gandhi in London "a few years ago" and offered to "settle everything" with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"@varungandhi80 came to see me at my house a few years ago and said he can settle everything in @INCIndia with his aunt," Modi tweeted late on Tuesday.

"He wanted me to meet her sister from Italy. I heard him next I heard from our common friend who introduced us that auntie wants 60 million dollars. Told them whaaaat are u nuts go HKG a kite. Can he deny that. I hope he does," Modi posted on Twitter.

In another tweet, he clarified: "The auntie he refers to is #soniagandhi. The sister is #soniagandhi sister - just for clarity."

"Please clarify @varungandhi80 did u or did u not come to my house in London. Whilst staying at the Ritz hotel in London a few years ago," said another of his tweets.

He again tweeted later: "Waiting for @varungandhi80 still to deny #auntieSonia offer #LALITGATE # wantstoknowtruth - what say @INCIndia".

Modi's tweet came in response to former external affairs minister Natwar Singh's son Jagat Singh's clarification on Twitter.

"Did not introduce Varun Gandhi to Lalit Modi. Facilitated meeting through a common friend; world renowned astrologer. Was in India at time," Jagat Singh said.

Modi retweeted this clarification, and said: "Jagat @kjagatsingh8 is a BJP #MLA from Rajasthan and son of @knatwarsingh and @HeminderK".

"Keep an eye on @kjagatsingh8, a hard worker and has bright future. A no nonsense politician in the making."

Modi also mentioned Jaitley, saying: "My query to the ED: Do you have the courage to call BJP's #ArunJaitley or #RajeevShukla from INC-Congress even today?"

He mentioned ICC chairman N. Srinivasan and said: "Contract with CricketSouthAfrica done by Srinivasan; approved by 11 other members. Why single me out?"

The BJP came out in support of Varun Gandhi.

"The whole world knows that the families of Rahul Gandhi and Varun Gandhi are separate, party wise and ideology wise," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told the media.