Rahul not acceptable to allies: BJP after RS win

The BJP on Thursday said the Rajya Sabha seat result in Jharkhand shows that allies in the INDIA bloc have rejected Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. The ruling party at the Centre also called Gandhi a “liability” for the INDIA bloc.

Amid cross-voting, NDA-supported Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani on Thursday won one of the two Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand, defeating the Congress’s Pranav Jha. 

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Baidyanath Ram was elected to the other seat. Nathwani polled 28 votes, while Jha bagged 20 votes. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the opposition alliance is plagued by infighting.

“It is a loss for Rahul Gandhi. It is a loss for the INDI alliance and a loss for the Congress. It shows that Rahul Gandhi is not a cool prime ministerial candidate. He is a ‘burden for the INDI alliance,” Poonawalla said in a video statement.

“Once again, the INDI alliance is in tatters and has demonstrated an uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory because of infighting,” he said.

Poonawalla claimed that both Rajya Sabha seats in Jharkhand should have gone to the INDIA bloc, which did not happen because of cracks in the alliance.

“It is evident that both seats in Jharkhand should have gone to the INDI alliance. While the JMM won its seat, Congress lost because the JMM, RJD and Left parties revolted against the Congress candidate,” he said. The BJP spokesperson alleged that the loss of the second seat shows that Gandhi’s leadership is not being accepted either by voters or by his allies.

“He has lost 99 elections. We have seen voices of dissent within the Congress against him. Even his loyalists are leaving him,” Poonawalla said.

Referring to a recent INDIA bloc meeting, he claimed that several alliance partners had criticised Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

“Recently, we saw what happened at the INDI alliance meeting. The biggest (opposition) party after the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, taunted Rahul Gandhi. The second-biggest party, the ‘real’ TMC, has drifted away. “The third-biggest party, the DMK, criticised Rahul Gandhi for being a traitor. The youngest party, AAP, said it could not accept Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. The oldest party, the Left, said Rahul Gandhi is immature,” he claimed.

“Today, the INDI alliance partners themselves are showing Rahul Gandhi his place,” Poonawalla added.