Cong reacts with caution on Santosh Hedge’s plan

The report is expected to name several senior politicians. It is reported that senior BJP leaders,including a minister and the Special Representative in Delhi,Dhananjay Kumar had met Justice Hegde asking him to leave out Chief Minister Yeddyurappa name in his report.

Dhananjayakumar today admitted that he along with Education Minister V S Acharya had met Lokayukta Santosh Hegde some months ago but rejected charges that he attempted to influence him on the issue of illegal mining.

Tewari,however,said one would have expected a far more robust response from Hegde,who had also been a Supreme Court judge,on the rampant corruption in the state.

He also attacked BJP over illegal mining saying it is the “unique USP of the BJP’s state governments. BJP government in every state is involved in illegal mining. Uttarakhand government is running mining mafia on Ganga’s bank.”

Tewari,however refused to comment on arrest of former SP leader Amar Singh’s aide in cash for vote scam saying “let us wait for investigations to complete. It is not my remit to give a ball to ball comment to an on-going investigation.”

When asked to comment on Allahabad High Court decision quashing the acquisition of 600 hectares of land in Gr Noida by the Uttar Pradesh government,Tewari said: “Mayawati government will be a loser in the upcoming Assembly elections next year. It has failed on all fronts.”