The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ramped up its scrutiny of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, alleging inconsistencies in her asset declarations made during her nomination for the Wayanad bye-election. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia asserted that Priyanka’s husband, Robert Vadra, has ownership in more companies than those listed in her affidavit, further intensifying the controversy.
Bhatia likened the couple to “Bunty and Bubbly,” claiming they are engaged in “false politics.” He raised serious concerns about the non-disclosure of certain assets, specifically two limited liability partnerships (LLPs) where Vadra is a partner. Bhatia referenced a 2022 Income Tax Appellate Tribunal case, which revealed that Priyanka holds 262,411 shares in Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald newspaper. He emphasized that these shares, acquired through two trusts, were not mentioned in her affidavit.
Bhatia also highlighted the legal implications, stating that candidates providing misleading information in their election affidavits should not be allowed to contest. He cited penal statutes that classify such actions as a criminal offense.
In a robust counter, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate firmly denied the BJP’s allegations, stating, “Priyanka Gandhi doesn’t own a single share of AJL, in fact never has.” This response aims to clarify the Congress party’s stance amid the BJP’s escalating accusations.
The BJP also scrutinized Vadra’s declared assets, which amount to ₹64 crore, suggesting this is lower than the ₹75 crore figure raised by the Income Tax department. Additionally, Priyanka Gandhi’s declared assets were reported to exceed ₹12 crore, including a Shimla bungalow valued at ₹5.63 crore. The BJP has claimed that the reported value of her property is significantly below its market price, implying potential manipulation in asset declarations.
In light of these accusations, Robert Vadra issued a statement declaring his innocence and readiness to cooperate with any investigating agency. He remarked, “Whenever they (BJP) want to divert attention from real issues, my name crops up and they start talking about me. People know the truth. I have not done anything wrong, and I am ready to face any agency.”
This ongoing exchange underscores the rising tensions between the BJP and Congress as the political climate heats up ahead of upcoming elections.
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