Rahul Gandhi, in a fiery address at a thanksgiving rally in Raebareli on Tuesday evening, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that Modi narrowly escaped defeat in Varanasi but his party was defeated in Ayodhya. Rahul said if his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, had contested from Varanasi, Modi would have lost that seat as well. He said Priyanka might have won by a margin of over 2 to 3 lakh voters.
"Modi and Shah were playing with the foundation of the nation, hence the nation united against them in this election. For the first time, I saw that the Prime Minister of the country is doing politics of violence, spreading hatred amongst the public, and extending benefits to three industrialists," said Rahul.
The rally saw the presence of KL Sharma, who defeated Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi. The venue for the rally was shifted from Amethi to Raebareli only on Monday morning.
Highlighting the BJP's loss in Ayodhya, Rahul remarked, "You all saw that they lost the Ayodhya seat. The temple was built in Ayodhya, but they did not invite any poor people to its inauguration. They even barred the President of India from attending. Not only in Ayodhya, but even in Varanasi, the Prime Minister somehow survived a near-certain defeat. If my sister Priyanka had contested there, Modi would have lost by a margin of 2 to 3 lakh votes," he asserted.
Priyanka also addressed the rally, sharing her efforts in the election campaign. "When I came to Raebareli, I asked everyone to utilise the remaining 300 hours and sleep for just 2 hours daily. Now, the results are before you. This is not just the victory of Rahul or KL Sharma but the victory of the people of Raebareli and Amethi. We feel proud to continue serving you."
Both Rahul and Priyanka expressed their gratitude towards the people of Uttar Pradesh, especially Raebareli and Amethi, for their unwavering support to the Gandhi family. They hinted that Rahul might retain his seat in Raebareli and resign from his seat in Wayanad, where he won by a margin of over 3 lakh votes.
Upon arriving at Fursatganj airport, Rahul and Priyanka were warmly welcomed by party AICC General Secretary, Incharge UP, Avinash Pandey, UPCC Chief Ajay Rai, and other senior leaders, including CLP Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' and Deputy Leader of the Party in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tewari. The Congress party plans to hold 'Thanksgiving' rallies and processions in all 403 Assembly segments of Uttar Pradesh over the next five days.
