The only reason for the new deal is to give Rs 30,000 crore to industrialist Anil Ambani, the Congress chief alleged.

The Congress’ attack came a day after, Gandhi accused the prime minister of “treason” and violating the Official Secrets Act by acting as Anil Ambani’s “middleman” in the Rafale jet contract, citing an email to claim the businessman was aware of the deal days before India and France finalised it.

Stating that the contagion effect of falsehood is fairly large, Jaitley said the lies spread by the Congress have spread to other colleagues in the "Mahajhootbandhan".

The Union minister further asked Gandhi to answer how he got hold of the company's internal communication and accused him of acting as a "lobbyist" of foreign firms.

"The Prime Minister is scared of JPC. Since you are not heeding to the demand of JPC, we are staging a walkout," Kharge said as his party staged a walkout.

It is pertinent to mention here that just months ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019, the principal opposition party is trying to corner the Centre over the Rafale deal.

Besides the Lok Sabha polls, the assembly elections are also due in Andhra Pradesh this year.  

Others present at the event will be those who had participated in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's rally in Kolkata erlier this month, said Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai. 

Chandrababu Naidu is holding a day-long fast, demanding that the Centre grant special status to the state and fulfil all promises made before its bifurcation in 2014. A TDP delegation led by Naidu will submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.

Congress leaders say this time the buzz will not be limited to "just cosmetics" but will be followed up by serious business ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Dismissing Gandhi's allegations, Union Law Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said he was "lying shamelessly" on the fighter jet deal and has got "Rafale phobia".

Gandhi cited a media report, which quoted an Uber driver as saying that the government has not given jobs and he found one after investing lakhs, to make his point.

Pitroda said he is hopeful that Priyanka Gandhi's coming into active politics will have a big impact on the polls.

Revealing about the condition of Manmohan Singh during the rule of UPA, Krishna said the former prime minister had no say over the portfolio.

The union minister also accused the Congress party of launching 'fake campaigns' against the defence forces, judiciary and Reserve Bank, and said it is time to protect the country as well as its institutions from 'institution wreckers'.

Kumar also opposed the idea of Universal Basic Income, often advocated by former Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, saying he favoured incentives for population to work.  

The film is expected to release in April in the midst of elections.

In the meeting, the Congress chief said the candidate selection process should be more inclusive and participation of maximum party stakeholders and workers should be ensured.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Sitharaman said, "you can wake one who is sleeping, but how will you wake someone who is acting to sleep."

Air Marshal SBP Sinha (retired), who was leading the Indian negotiating team for Rafale fighter jet purchase rejected the charge that the PMO had held parallel negotiations.