Sonia, Rahul unable to hold 'sinking ship' Congress: BJP

The BJP today said the decision of senior Gujarat Congress leaders to quit the party shows that it is a "sinking ship" as its chief Sonia Gandhi and her deputy Rahul are unable to hold the crumbling organisation.
Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out at the Congress over its allegation of "horse-trading" against his party, wondering if it suggested that it had given important position to leaders who could be purchased.
"The entire allegations of the Congress that the BJP is doing horse-trading in Gujarat is not only false and laughable but shows its utter desperation," he told PTI.

"A senior leader like Shankersinh Vaghela, former chief minister and the leader of opposition, has left the Congress. Three-time MLA and its chief whip Balwantsinh Rajput has left it too. Eminent doctor and its whip Tejashreeben Patel has left it. Does the Congress want to suggest that it has given important positions to such leaders who could be purchased?," Prasad said.
The allegations showed the "utter political bankruptcy" of the Congress and the fact was that it was a "sinking ship" and all these leaders were deserting it because they were not getting respect and their due, he said adding it was wrong to blame the BJP for it.

The fact is that the Congress has become the biggest "patron and promoter of corruption" which was causing extreme disillusionment among its supporters and cadres, Prasad alleged.
The Congress had accused the BJP of horse-trading in Gujarat and using "money, muscle and state power" to engineer defections ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls in which its senior leader Ahmed Patel is seeking a re-election.