Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi
The BJP today freshened its attack on
Robert Vadra, the controversial son-in-law of Congress president
Sonia Gandhi, who has been accused of amassing a vast fortune on the strength of his powerful family. "The Gandhis keep faulting the Gujarat model of development. Can they explain the Vadra model of development?" asked the BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad. (
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The BJP has been highlighting the "Gujarat model of development" as the main qualification of its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi. At rallies, Mr Modi, 63, has said he will resuscitate the sluggish economy and create jobs, an ability that he says he has demonstrated in his multiple terms as chief minister of Gujarat.
But Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the top two leaders of the Congress, say Mr Modi has allowed his home state to be hijacked by crony capitalism.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is Mrs Gandhi's 42-year-old daughter, is not contesting the national election, but she is running the campaigns for her mother and brother in their constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier this week, in a new show of aggression, she told voters there, "My husband is being insulted everyday but it will make us stronger."
At his rallies, Mr Modi has been deriding what he describes as Mr Vadra's phenomenal good fortune in his business interests. (
My husband is being humiliated, says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to Raebareli)
The BJP and other detractors of the Congress say that Mr Vadra's place in the Gandhi family allowed him illicit and highly profitable land deals in Haryana, where the Congress is in power, charges the state government has denied. (
Heard about 2G, now we hear about jijaji: Narendra Modi's swipe at Robert Vadra)
At a rally recently, Mr Modi said in contrast to his Gujarat model, the Congress is faithful to "an RSVP model - Rahul, Sonia, Vadra and Priyanka." (
In Bihar rally, Narendra Modi's 'RSVP' jibe at the Gandhi family)
Priyanka today retaliated, "ABCD, RSVP....this is what some parties say. They aren't addressing a primary school."