Ball is in PM's court to come out clean: Sheila Dikshit on Sahara-Birla payoffs

Toeing the party line, Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi wondering why he was shying away from an independent probe into the 'Sahara-Birla' papers relating to pay-offs, days after her
comments questioning autheticity of the documents put the Congress on the backfoot.

The Congress' CM candidate in Uttar Pradesh also debunked speculation that she was distancing herself from the campaigning in the poll-bound state in the wake of the controversy.

"Why is @PMOIndia shying from an independent and a thorough probe into the #BirlaSaharaPapers?," Dikshit tweeted.

Dikshit, whose name allegedly figured in the 'Sahara diaries' along with many other politicians, had trashed it, putting party Vice President Rahul Gandhi in a tight spot as he had charged Modi with taking money from corporate houses based on the document.

"I have said what I had to. The ball is in the court of the @PMOIndia & others now. Will he respond and come out clean? #SaharaBirlaDiaries (sic)," Dikshit said in another tweet.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party targeting it following Dikshit's comments, the Congress maintained that it wanted an independent and thorough probe into the "Sahara diaries" corruption issue.

There was speculation that Dikshit may not remain Congress' chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh following the controversy.

Rejecting the speculations, Dikshit also junked reports that she has suspended her scheduled programmes in Aligarh.

"I am amused to see 'Sheila distances herself from UP' speculation in media. Aligarh was not on my schedule. I will be in Barabanki tomorrow," she said.

The former Delhi chief minister's name purportedly figured in the list that the Congress had put out in a tweet two days back as proof of its allegations against Modi which upset her.

On Sunday reacting strongly to the allegations, Dikshit had vehemently denied any wrongdoings calling the charges "all hearsay". He had said the Supreme Court had already made observations on the diaries, comments that appeared similar to BJP's argument in defending Modi.