Mumbai: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has to come to the forefront despite the party’s drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls as he is the only alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In an interview to PTI, Gehlot said Gandhi is the only opposition leader who can counter Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah “courageously and fearlessly”.
The Congress veteran described the Gandhi family as the “cementing force” for the 134-year-old party and rejected the charge that it practised dynastic politics.
He said Rahul Gandhi has to come to the forefront despite the setback the Congress faced in the Lok Sabha polls.
Praising the 49-year-old Wayanad MP, who quit as Congress president after his party’s poor showing in the April-May Lok Sabha polls, Gehlot said Gandhi raised key issues related to farmers, youth, employment and inflation during the campaign.
“It is wrong to say that there is no alternative leadership to Modi. Rahul Gandhi is the alternative. It is true that people could not connect with him since Modi’s style and approach is different,” said the Rajasthan chief minister, who assumed office a year ago.
Gandhi worked so hard for the 2017 Gujarat polls that people felt the BJP will lose, he said.
“But, Modi ran a sentimental campaign, misconstrued Mani Shankar Aiyar’s comments (his derogatory remarks against Modi following which he was suspended from the Congress), travelled in a seaplane. He can do anything to win elections,” Gehlot said.
Also read: Why Sonia Gandhi should give her son Rahul a longer ‘break’
Rahul Gandhi campaigned extensively for the Lok Sabha polls and before that for the Gujarat elections, he noted.
“It is only Rahul Gandhi who can stand up to Amit Shah and Narendra Modi,” the 68-year-old Congress leader said.
He said the core issues raised by Gandhi during the Lok Sabha polls were overshadowed by surgical strikes and narrative around nationalism.
“Rahul Gandhi felt people would support the Congress on issues of farmers, youth, employment, inflation. But, the core issues were left behind and surgical strikes and nationalism were highlighted. The Congress was dubbed a Muslim party. Aren’t we nationalists?” Gehlot asked.
Rahul Gandhi only asked why procurement of Rafale jets was brought down from 126 to 36 and why the price was raised from Rs 526 crore to Rs 1,600 crore per jet, he said.
“There were no answers. The country had the right to ask the question. Just because the BJP won the election, doesn’t mean the Rafale case is closed. Why is the BJP having problem in appointing a JPC in the Rafale deal?” he asked.
On the issue of the Congress being a Nehru-Gandhi family-centric party, Gehlot said the BJP’s agenda has been to try and damage his party leaders so that the organisation collapses, but this has not happened.
“The Gandhi family is the cementing force for the party. If the party’s rank and file have trust and faith in the family, why should the BJP have any objection?” he asked.
Since 1989, no member of the (Gandhi) family has been a minister, chief minister or prime minister. How can there be dynastic politics? There are several leaders of merit in the party, Gehlot pointed out.
“You need to have credibility to manage the merit you have in hand and give due respect to all. The leaders of merit have trust and faith in the Gandhi family,” he said.
Gehlot said after the Maharashtra and Haryana poll results, the BJP has stopped talking about a ‘Congress-mukt’ Bharat.
“The MVA government (of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine in Maharashtra) has come to power under extraordinary circumstances. I think it will last,” he said.
In the Maharashtra and Haryana polls, people voted for issues being faced by the country and not on the lines of what the BJP wanted, like Article 370 (its abrogation in Jammu and Kashmir) and nationalism, he added.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi says India in trouble as Modi’s ‘imaginary world’ falling apart
Please stop such jokes which way you see this dumbo duffer comparing Modiji a duffer who copies from mobile condolence message ?who says gold from potatoes I mean list is too big so you can lick his but spare us
Rahul Gandhi is good for nothing. Congress needs a duffest leader so that they can indulge in corruption and Rahul Gandhi tops the list of duffers in Congress.
Rahul is an alternative to Modi? Joke of the century.
Until a JP like figure emerges in India to consolidate the opposition , BJP will keep winning, 2024 is in the bag already if Rahul boy is being propped again.
The congress party should declare that once they get majority Rahul G will be made the Prime Minister of India for life to be succeeded by person from Gandhi/ Vadra family. Congress lack talent to produce any person to work as the PM of India and we the Congressmen/women are of the firm opinion that Indian public at large is also become infertile to give birth to any child who can be PM of India.
The congress party should declare that once they get majority Rahul G will be made the Prime Minister of India for life to be succeeded by person from Gandhi/ Vadra family. Congress lack talent to produce any person to work as the PM of India and we the Congressmen/women are of the opinion that Indian public at large is also become infertile to give birth to any child who can be PM of India.
There are sycophants everywhere , how else can a family empire be built !
OUCH! What else can a loyal Congressman say in public?