Congress and AAP today hit out at BJP leader Nitin Gadkari over his allegation that a deal was brokered between the two parties by a reputed industrialist to stop BJP from coming to power in Delhi, challenging him to produce evidence or at least name the person.
Describing Gadkari's statement "irresponsible" and a "complete lie", Congress general secretary in-charge of Delhi Shakeel Ahmed said the BJP leader should first produce evidence before levelling such unfounded allegations.
He said the BJP was frustrated because its hopes of coming to power in the state were shattered.
"Gadkari and his party are experts in carrying out such deals and not the Congress," Ahmed told PTI.
He further said that people also recall the circumstances under which Gadkari was removed from the post of BJP president.
"Before making allegations of any deal against others, he (Gadkari) should first explain what was the deal due to which he was removed as BJP's President," Ahmed said.
Manish Sisodia, Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) leader and now a Cabinet minister of the newly-formed Delhi government, demanded that Gadkari should produce evidence to substantiate his claims.
"Even if it does not have any evidence, at least the name should be revealed. He (Gadkari) should tell us which hotel was the deal brokered in, the details of the people involved, the politicians involved," Sisodia said.
Senior BJP leaders remained silent while Delhi BJP leader Vijay Jolly supported Gadkari's claim, saying a meeting of Congress and AAP leaders did take place at a local hotel but did not elaborate.
Gadkari, soon after Kejriwal was sworn-in as the seventh chief minister of Delhi yesterday, alleged that an industrialist brokered a deal between the AAP and the Congress in a posh hotel in the capital to stop BJP from coming to power in Delhi.
