New Delhi: It seems controversy is refusing to let go of the UPA's Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, who filed her nomination papers on Saturday.
The BJP has lashed out at the UPA-Left candidate after a CNN-IBN exclusive report exposed more skeletons in her closet.
On Friday, a report indicated that a cooperative sugar factory, of which Pratibha is the founder president, has been declared a defaulter for failing to return a Rs 17.5-crore bank loan.
Also on Friday, a murder allegation against Pratibha’s brother was slapped by one Rajni Patil, who was paraded by the BJP-led NDA at a press conference in Delhi.
Rajni alleged that her husband was murdered by Pratibha's brother and that she had been "shielding" him.
Meanwhile, Suhkhdev Singh Dhindsa, a leader of the BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal, dissociated himself from Rajni Patil's press meet, which was held at his residence, and denied any knowledge about the incident.
However, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad has said his party may approach the Election Commission.
The party is demanding that Pratibha must answer the allegations levelled against her family in person.
“A serious question of moral consideration arises. Namely, should a person who is being projected to become the President of India, have a record of playing with public money like this? We would like to know the answer to that question,” said Prasad.
Though, Pratibha quit the cooperative in 1996, her brother G N Patil continues to be the president of the Sant Mukthai Cooperative Sugar Factory in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district.
The Left, which has often harped on probity in public life though, maintains Pratibha cannot be declared guilty by association.
“Pratibha Patil can’t be blamed for everything her relative does and that is not the only cooperative under the cloud,” CPI leader, D Raja said.
Pratibha is expected to have a straight fight with Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is backed by the NDA in the July 19 election.
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