The BJP on Monday took the Congress to task on the issue of loans extended to industrialist Vijay Mallya during the UPA’s tenure, allegedly at the behest of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, even as the Congress denied there was any such irregularity and questioned why Mr. Mallya was allowed to escape by the present government.
At a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Sambit Patra quoted from letters purportedly written by Mr. Mallya to Dr. Singh seeking his intervention, after which the now-defunct Kingfisher Airline had received loans.
“The hands which pulled the strings to ensure that Mallya received loans are visible now. It belonged to [former Finance Minister] Chidambaram and [former Prime Minister] Singh,” Mr. Patra said.
Mr. Patra cited another letter the absconding liquor baron allegedly wrote to Mr. Chidambaram in March 2013 for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the SBI.
Leaders deny charge
Dr. Singh, addressing another press conference in Delhi, refuted the allegations. “Its an ordinary piece of letter which any government in my place would have dealt with,” he said.
Mr. Chidambaram too refuted allegations that the then UPA government extended any favour to Mr. Mallya.
