New Delhi:
The top leadership of the BJP watched on television in a 'war room' at Nitin Gadkari's home in Delhi - where Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely were present among others - the allegations made against the party president by India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal.
The leadership got together in advance to formulate its strategy in response to the allegations. They will be addressing a press conference later in the evening. The IAC has accused of Mr Gadkari getting land in Maharashtra illegally, in collusion with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) , which is part of the alliance government in state.
The party's leadership will have to calibrate its response since it not just involves the the BJP president but also because Mr Gadkari and other senior leaders like LK Advani had asked the party to clean up its act and fight against corruption at a national convention just last month. The party had also asked BS Yeddyurappa to step down as Karnataka's chief minister after he was accused in a mining scam. The BJP has been holding up Parliament as well over allegations of a scam in allocation of government-owned coal blocks to private firms.
Mr Gadkari is already facing accusations from the IAC that he pushed the central government for funds to be released for an incomplete irrigation project in Maharashtra. The contractor for the project is known to have close links with Mr Gadkari.