BJP raises graft charges against Vadra to target Cong in Haryana

NEW DELHI: Firing a fresh salvo against Congress ahead of the Haryana polls, BJP on Friday raised the alleged corruption involving Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra when the opposition party was in power in the state.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed the election in the state is a fight between "Haryana ka laal (son of Haryana)" and "dalaal (fixer)" of the Gandhi family, as he questioned the Congress brass silence on the corruption charges against Vadra and the party's then govt headed by Bhupinder Singh Hooda. He said peoplehave made up their mind to elect BJP for a third straight term.

While Gandhi has been speaking about farmers' issues, he has not said a word about his "land-grabbing" brother-in-law, Bhatia said. Hooda is just a mask and the real face of corruption is the Gandhi family, he alleged, citing questionable land deals involving Vadra.

In one case, he noted, Vadra's firm allegedly acquired 3.5 acres of land from farmers and the then Hooda govt changed the land use, allowing him to pocket a huge profit by selling the land parcel at four times the purchase price.

In another case, farmers resorted to distress selling of their land after the Congress govt in the state issued a notification to acquire their land and then denotified after a builder linked to Vadra bought their land, he alleged.