Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Thursday demanded resignation of Nitin Gadkari as Bharatiya Janata Party President in the wake of a letter written by him to Centre seeking release of funds for an irrigation project in Maharashtra, in which an associate of his is said to be a contractor.
"Yes," replied Singh when asked whether he has made the demand for resignation of Gadkari.
Singh, against whom Gadkari had issued a legal notice over allegations related to coal scam, was quick to latch on the issue and describe the BJP chief as "more of a businessman than a politician."
"It is clear that he (Gadkari) was interested in contractors getting their money which they don't deserve," he alleged.
The Gosikhurd project is embroiled in an alleged scam involving Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar who quit recently in the wake of charges of corruption on which the BJP had mounted a big campaign.
Gadkari wrote to Union Water Resources Minister P K Bansal on July 30 this year asking him to clear the dues of the contractors involved in the project though no names were mentioned.
"Due to non-payment of the dues, the contractors stop their works. This may delay the programme and would also result in time overrun and delays in creation of irrigation potential. Presently liability of Rs 400 crore is pending," the letter said
The BJP chief's detractors claimed it was aimed at benefiting his associate Ajay Sancheti.
