New Delhi, Sep 25 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted Congress during an election rally in Gohana, Sonipat district, Haryana, on Wednesday. He accused the grand old party of handing over the state to "brokers and sons-in-law".

While he did not directly mention Robert Vadra, he implied attacks on Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law and Priyanka Gandhi's husband.

PM Modi's statement signals that the BJP is preparing to once again corner Congress over the Vadra-DLF land deal as they approach the Haryana Assembly elections. Since the Lok Sabha elections, Robert Vadra has not been a focal point for the BJP, but now the party aims to push Congress onto the defensive by leveraging the DLF land deal involving Priyanka Gandhi's husband.

In the 2014 Haryana Assembly elections, the BJP effectively capitalised on this issue, leading to significant political uproar. Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal, also accused Congress of corruption and irregularities related to the deal.

The controversy benefited the BJP, helping them secure power in the state, which they have maintained since. The DLF land deal issue has periodically resurfaced in discussions but has now gained new traction.

During his recent rally, PM Modi's comments indicated that this issue will be a key topic in the upcoming elections. Moreover, the presence of the Aam Aadmi Party in Haryana could further complicate matters for Congress, as they might also raise the issue during the campaign.

It is worth noting that the deal between Robert Vadra and prominent Indian real estate developer DLF Limited occurred in February 2008.

Vadra's company, Skylight Hospitality, purchased about 3.5 acres of land in Gurugram from Omkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore at a time when Congress was in power, with Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Chief Minister.

An FIR was filed against Vadra, naming him alongside then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DLF Gurugram, alleging that he gained millions by flouting regulations.

In his rally in Gohana, PM Modi reiterated his accusations, stating that Congress had surrendered the state to "brokers and sons-in-law".

He claimed that Congress' royal family is the most corrupt in the country, asserting that when the high command is corrupt, it gives a license for looting below.

The Prime Minister urged voters to remember how the state was exploited under the Congress' rule a decade ago, stressing that if they wish to avoid brokers and sons-in-law, they must support the BJP.

/IANS