Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy today defended charging money from party workers to attend Narendra Modi's rallies.
"What is wrong with that? People are ready to give. Nobody is forced," Swamy told reporters here this evening.
"Mahatama Gandhi used to do it... For his autographs he used to take five rupees. Congressmen take money and put it in their pocket. But our people take money and put it in party account," Swamy claimed.
Asked about the possibility of his contesting Lok Sabha poll from Mumbai, Swamy said,"I can't decide on that... The party will have to decide. The house belonging to my in-laws is here. I have been elected from here twice. That is why, there is an attachment."
On senior BJP leader L K Advani and Nitish Kumar greeting each other warmly at the National Integration Council meet today, Swamy said, "I don't think in a democratic society you should hesitate to meet leaders of other parties even if you don't agree with them. I would be happy to meet communist leaders if I am attending a meeting and they are there."
Asked about impact of Rahul Gandhi's visit to Maharashtra, Swamy said, "wherever he goes, our vote share will double. We want him to go across the country."
