Saturday, April 8 2006 13:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Rourkela (Orissa): BJP President Rajnath Singh today (Apr 8, 2006) charged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with trying to hush up Election Commissioner Navin Chawla's reported 'links' with Congress party.

"Whenever something pertains to 10, Janpath, the Prime Minister feels helpless. Be it Ottavio Quattrochhi or Navin Chawla, who is close to the Gandhi family, the Prime Minister tries to hush up issues surrounding them," Rajnath told reporters on the third day of his 'Bharat Suraksha Yatra'.

His comments came in the wake of Attorney-General Milon K Banerjee's reported clean chit to Chawla who faces Opposition allegations of links with the ruling Congress.

In his opinion sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Banerjee reportedly said Chawla has not committed any 'misconduct' warranting his disqualification as Election Commissioner.

The Prime Minister had sought the Attorney-General's opinion on an NDA petition seeking Chawla's removal from the post.