Rahul vows to spare 'no one' in Rafale scam

Kolkata: Predicting his party's victory in the Lok Sabha Election Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday vowed to spare "no one" in the Rafale scam after returning to power. He bantered that the Supreme Court's order has scared Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose body language, he claimed, has changed.

Addressing a rally at Raiganj in North Dinajpur of 24 hours before the first phase of the polls, Mr Gandhi also dismissed Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's slur of an alliance between the Congress and BJP. He pointed out that it was Ms Banerjee who once forged a pact with the BJP.

Emboldened by the SC directive the Congress chief said, "I can assure you that the Congress is going to defeat Mr Modi in this election. After that an inquiry will be carried out into the money theft in Rafale aircraft deal. I can give guarantee that those who were involved in stealing will face punishment. No one will be spared. This is the reality."

He argued, "Today the Supreme Court stated that a scam has taken place in Rafale case. Chowkidar Chor Hai. We have changed the figure of Chowkidar. Did you see his body language? He has been scared. His body has started shrinking. He can not make an eye-to-eye contact with the country."

Slamming Mr Modi Mr Gandhi alleged, "Returning home Chowkidar keep worrying that the Congress implicated him in the Rafale case and now he would have to go to jail if an investigation follows. He can not deliver his address nowadays properly. During his speech he looks at his side, up and down. He speaks in fear."

He added, "Chowkidar Chor Hai. And the public has caught his theft. " Training guns on the West Bengal chief minister Mr Gandhi noted, "Mamataji is alleging that the Congress is not fighting with the BJP. Who raised Rafale issue? Who said Chowkidar Chor Hai? Who fought the Rafale case? It is the Congress which fought it."

The Congress president underlined, "The Congress is fighting the BJP in each state. We do not go on back foot even for a single inch.  Chowkidar is in the grip of a fear. Who left him sacred? It is the Congress. We fought for it. Can you tell me if the Congress has ever forged an alliance with the BJP?"

He noted, "At least we did not do it in any state ever in the last 70 years. But did Mamataji forge an alliance with the BJP? She has done it. So it is the Congress which has been fighting against the BJP tooth and nail."

At Raiganj on Tuesday Ms Banerjee told the Congress, "If a government has to be formed and the Congress will stakes claim to do it, how will you be able to do it? You are visible only in three-four states in the country. So the government formation will not be possible without all. You alone are not enough. Had you fought a bit well, there would not have been so much rise of the BJP."

She claimed, "They rapidly rose due to your indulgence. Who is fighting the BJP: the Congress or the CPI(M) or the Trinamul? Have the BJP touched any leader either from the Congress or the CPI(M)? The BJP's fight is with the Trinamul. Do not forget that the Trinamul will form the government at the Centre, not any other party.”

Mr Gandhi also wondered why Mr Modi and Ms Banerjee did not provide loan waiver to the farmers.