V Hanumantha Rao targets BJP over Lalu's conviction

Hyderabad: Veteran Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Tuesday slammed the BJP over the conviction of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fodder scam case. He alleged that Lalu was convicted for five years as he had refused the offer of alliance with the BJP. Rao said Lalu preferred to go to jail instead of joining hands with the BJP, 'which is conspiring to divide the country'.

Stating that international fugitives, like Neerav Modi and Lalit Modi, had links with the BJP at the Centre, Rao said the two were enjoying life in foreign countries even after looting the country to the tune of thousands of crores.

He alleged that the Narendra Modi government was resorting to political vendetta against the Opposition leaders by misusing power. He charged that wrong news reports were published against Sonia Gandhi at the behest of the Centre.

'VH' recalled that this kind of vendetta politics by current BJP leaders were not there during periods of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani. He said it had become a common practice for Modi to harass the Opposition leaders. Rao made it clear that they put several corrupt leaders behind bars during the UPA rule. "The BJP is protecting corrupt leaders, who are embracing it."