IT cases against Gandhis: PM says govt won in SC thanks to 'chaiwala'

Taking on the Gandhi family a day after the Supreme Court ordered that IT cases against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi be reopened, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here Wednesday that his government had scored a win thanks to the courage of a "chaiwala".

Alleging that the Gandhi family had been enjoying privileges for four generations, Modi said at an election rally in Sumerpur in Pali district that it was the "victory of the honest".

"Now I will see how you escape... Look at the courage of a 'chaiwala' who took those running country for four generations to the court's door," Modi said.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court  allowed the Income Tax Department to reopen the tax assessment of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi for 2011-12 in connection with the National Herald case.

In his rally on the last day of campaigning before the state elections on Friday, Modi also referred to the extradition of Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman in the politically-sensitive Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal from the UPA era. Michel was brought to India late Tuesday.

"The government has brought the middleman involved in a helicopter scam from Dubai.  He served politicians and will now disclose secrets," the prime minister said.

"Let's see how far this goes," he said.

Continuing his attack against the Congress, Modi asked the gathering who had spread the venom of casteism and created urban-rural divides.

The Congress, he asserted, had lost the election and was now contemplating who to hold responsible for its defeat.

"The Congress' 'gaaje-baaje' company thought the BJP was finished in Rajasthan. Now they are saying they are losing due to infighting and rebel candidates," he declared.

Making a final push for his party, he said people were clearly in favour of the BJP in the desert state and it would once again form government.

"The public has decided. Now it is our job to win every booth in Rajasthan. Our mantra should be 'mera polling booth, sabse mazboot'," he said.

The results for the elections will be declared on December 11.