"Corrupt hands" of Manmohan, Chidambaram helped Mallya: BJP

Ahead of the Budget Session, BJP today alleged Congress has been pushed against the wall as "corrupt hands" of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambram ensured bank loans to Vijay Mallya's "sinking" Kingfisher Airlines.
The party quoted from purported letters written by businessman Mallya to Singh in which he sought his intervention following which his now defunct company received loans.
Claiming that Mallya had written letters to Finance Ministry during UPA's tenure seeking an appointment with SBI Chairman, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Was the Finance Ministry office during UPA time working as private secretary to SBI Chairman."

She said congress leaders are passing on the buck to each other but not answering the questions which are being raised on the alleged helping hand extended by their leaders to Mallya.
Replying to a question on setting up a team to investigate the matter, her Cabinet colleague, Piyush Goyal said,"It is a good suggestion which government should look at. But today we are not here as government. We are here on behalf of BJP. It is for the government to decide."
Sitharaman said, "We will see what we can do about it."

Earlier in the day, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, said,"The corrupt hands which pulled the strings to ensure that Mallya received loans are visible now. It belonged to Chidambaram and Singh."

He also dragged the Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul Gandhi into the row, saying they should explain at whose behest the defaulting company got loans.
"Did the hands of 10, Janpath also pull the string? Sonia and Rahul Gandhi should come out in public to say at whose behest the loans were sanctioned to Kingfisher Airline," Patra said.