Ahead of LS polls, probe agencies will be used against Cong leaders, says Alka Lamba

Pune: Senior Congress leader Alka Lamba on Thursday said the Income Tax department, the ED and CBI will once again swing into action against leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls but the party was ready to face such onslaughts.

Speaking to reporters here, the All India Mahila Congress chief said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is making tall claims of winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls but has developed cold feet and is taking the help of probe agencies after the opposition bloc INDIA was announced.

"The Shiv Sena and NCP in Maharashtra were first attacked and then (then chief minister) Hemant Soren in Jharkhand. They arrested Soren when he refused to budge and tried to topple his government but failed," she claimed.

The BJP has inducted several leaders against whom it once used to claim there was concrete proof (of irregularities), Lamba said.

"With the announcement of election dates, Central agencies like ED, CBI and Income Tax will once again come after our leaders like Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi. But we are ready. These actions are to divert attention from issues such as inflation, unemployment and farmers' distress," she said.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold political rallies, opposition leaders will be kept busy with such inquiries, she alleged.

Queried about former chief minister Ashok Chavan quitting the Congress and joining the BJP, Lamba said he chose the ruling party over jail.

It was the BJP which used to make allegations against him (in connection with the Adarsh housing scam), she pointed out.

Lamba welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict on electoral bonds.

In a landmark judgement that delivered a big blow to the government, the Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the electoral bonds scheme for political funding, saying it violates the Constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to information.