Key aide of Nitin Gadkari in coalgate, BJP ready for probe

After the Congress, the coal heat has turned onto the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Key aide of BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Ajay Sancheti is named in the list of those said to have benefited from the coal blocks allocations.

The BJP, however, insists it is ready for a probe.

"Let me clarify. The right to give allocation rests only with government of India. Every Chief Minister will recommend a case. Nothing wrong with that. Even if there is some wrongdoing, let there be an inquiry into that," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The monsoon session of Parliament ended in a complete washout with no business having been conducted on its last day on Saturday. Parliament was adjourned sine die after the Opposition managed to disrupt proceedings even on the last day.

The Opposition spent thirteen days attacking the Government over the coal blocks allocations and later on, over the SC/ST Quota Bill for promotions in government jobs.

Slamming the Opposition for wasting precious Parliament time and taxpayers' money, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is at the centre of the allocations row, said that the constant disruptions were a negation of democracy and a violation of the norms of Parliament and the Constitution.

He said that the country needed to make up its mind if this was how democracy functioned.

The BJP, however, refuses to toe the line. Lashing out at the Centre on Friday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said that the PM was solely responsible for the allocations as they happened under him.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said that the UPA government was committed to "cryptocracy". "This (coal blocks allocations) is a textbook case of crony capitalism. Large allotments were made to those businessmen who were connected to the UPA," he said, adding that an inquiry must be set up where the PM also deposes and all issues are covered.

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