Everyone is aware of Sonia's love for country: Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah on Tuesday took a dig at Congress President Sonia Gandhi, saying everyone was aware of her "love for her son, National Herald and 2G".

"Soniaji, everyone in this country is aware of your 'desh prem' (patriotism) and 'putra prem' (your love for your son), your National Herald prem' (your love for National Herald).

"The nation is also aware of various other scams including 2G, 3G, Adarsh scam, CWG and AgustaWestland," Shah said at a rally in a bid to counter Gandhi's emotional speech in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, wherein she attacked the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking jibes at her Italian roots.

"On Monday, Soniaji came to Kerala and said allegations were leveled against her. Humne to kisi par aarop nahi lagaya (we have not made any allegations against anybody). We said bribe takers in the chopper deal will be punished.

"Soniaji aap batiyae, aapko dar kyon lag raha hai. (Soniaji tell us why are you scared). Dal mein kuch kala nazar aa raha hai (There is something fishy)," he said.

"There is corruption everywhere. The 10-year United Progressive Alliance rule resulted in scams totaling 12 lakh crore rupees but Sonia Gandhi ji talks about her love for the nation in Kerala," he said.

At a press meet in Thiruvanathapuram, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "Neither the prime minister nor the BJP has targeted and levelled corruption charges against Gandhi...I do not know what is the reason, when there are charges of corruption, they always use emotional politics. It is an old practice of the Congress for many years."

He said when charges of corruption are leveled against the Congress, the party sheds tears.

Gandhi while addressing an election meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday had said India is her home and "it is here that my ashes will mingle with my loved ones".

The Congress president used an election rally to hit back at Modi after the Prime Minister raked up the issue of her Italian roots twice in the last three days while making a veiled attack against her over the controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal.

BJP's only agenda was to uproot both the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the Communist Party of India-Marxist led Left Democratic Front from Kerala, Shah said.

He also wanted to know if 93-year-old V S Achuthanandan, who is the LDF candidate from Malampuzha, would be made chief minister by the CPI-M if the LDF was voted to power.

The LDF has always unleashed violence against BJP-RSS workers, he alleged.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-National Democratic Alliance wants an opportunity to rule the state, he said and claimed that the experiment with the UDF-LDF did not do any good to Kerala.

"The Communists and Congress are not fighting the polls on any ideology, and only want to come to power," he said.

Shah also addressed meetings at nearby Thrissur district.