Rai spits fire and brimstone at Rao

''Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao is a traitor and a coward, and I will leave no stone unturned to root him out of politics: this I swear,'' former federal minister Kalpnath Rai said as he alighted from his white Maruti in front of his spacious 36, Aurangzeb Road bungalow.

Rai had driven straight to his home after being released from the high security Tihar jail following a Supreme Court order.

Asked what his immediate programme was, Rai said he would ''use all the resources at my command to take revenge on this coward Narasimha Rao."

Asked about his allegations that the prime minister's son was corrupt, Rai said Prabhakar Rao had met with him privately, so "40 or 50 times" in private rooms at hotels like the Hyatt and the Taj.

When told that Prabhakar Rao had denied such meetings, Rai burst out: '' I am not a coward person like Narasimha Rao and his son. The SPG guards surrounding him are a witness.''

The former minister said that Rao's sons interfered in the food and energy ministries.

Asked to explain his role in the sugar scam, Rai said, ''First, the prime minister himself gave me a clean chit on the floor of Parliament. Later, he procured my resignation through deceit, saying that he would die if the sugar scam created more trouble. He promised that he would never accept my resignation letter - and then he did just that. Throughout my political career I have made sacrifices - but all this is in vain because of this coward prime minister.''

While asserting that he would win easily from the Ghosi parliamentary constituency, Rai said he would consult with his followers regarding tie-ups with other parties. ''But I am willing to consort with the devil to root out Narasimha Rao from politics,'' he affirmed, before disappearing into his bungalow.