Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed there was a huge undercurrent against the BJP across the country and called for Opposition unity to present an alternative vision to the people.
This, even as yet another senior Congressman, this time Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, made a pitch for him to be made the Opposition’s PM candidate in 2024. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath had done so on Friday.
In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, when asked to respond to “Rahul as PM candidate”, said “We have no problem with it” but maintained “when all (Opposition) parties sit together and talk, then we will decide on everything”.
But it is easier said than done as the Opposition camp has many leaders who have been eyeing a national role like West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, and Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar, besides Nitish himself.
Rahul’s call for Opposition unity also comes as UP’s regional parties the SP, the BSP and the RLD have announced not to join his Bharat Jodo Yatra during its State leg.
Against this backdrop, addressing a Press conference here, Rahul invoked the names of SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati as proponents of secularism who have been doing great work in bonding the people across.
Hitting out at the Government, he said, “The Home Ministry says you go in a bulletproof vehicle. How can I do that? I have to walk on foot for the Yatra...they know what needs to be done for security, they are marking an issue.”
He said the Government is getting security forces to say that he is repeatedly violating security protocol during the Yatra, and sending letters asking him to stop due to Covid concerns and asked if the BJP’s roadshows were not violations of Covid protocols.
Rahul took a dig at the BJP too saying he considers the BJP his “guru” (teacher) as the BJP shows him a roadmap and teaches him “what should never be done”. “I want them (BJP) to attack us aggressively, this will help the Congress party understand its ideology. I consider them (BJP) as my guru, they are showing me the way and training me on what is not to be done,” he said.
This prompted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to respond: “If he considers it (BJP) guru, then he should go to Nagpur. I want to tell him that he should not consider RSS & BJP as his guru, but the flag of Bharat Mata. He is welcome to Nagpur. He should give guru dakshina before the flag of Bharat Mata.”
Rahul went on to claim that the Congress would sweep the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election slated to be held next year. “I can give you in writing that the Congress is going to sweep the Madhya Pradesh elections. There’s no question; you write it down, the BJP will be nowhere to be seen,” he asserted.
“I thought Maharashtra’s response to the Yatra was outstanding, only to realise later that there was an undercurrent in Madhya Pradesh; there’s a storm. Every citizen there knows that the BJP has stolen the mandate and formed the Government with the help of money; the entire State is seething,” Rahul said.
He said the Bharat Jodo Yatra provided a framework to present a new way of working and thinking to the people. He sought mutual respect between Opposition leaders and the Congress in taking on the BJP, which has been completely dominating the country’s political space.
“If the Opposition stands effectively with a vision, it will become very difficult for the BJP to win elections. But the Opposition has to coordinate effectively and the opposition has to go to the people with an alternative vision,” he stressed.
On a question on whether BJP Lok Sabha MP and his first cousin Varun Gandhi is welcome in the Yatra, Rahul said, “Everyone is welcome. But he (Varun) is from the BJP so he might have some problem.”
On former party stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said, “Ask him. He has confused me — kabhi bahar, kabhi andar — I don’t know.” Commenting on the border issues, Rahul reiterated India’s present foreign policy is confused and event-based and the country is paying a heavy price for it.
“PM Modi has to publicly tell China that you have come inside our territory and get out. But he is saying that there has been no incursion. This message is going to China,” Rahul said.
“When I am raising these issues, I am not talking about Army; I am talking about the Government. The Government can’t hide behind the Army, Navy and Air Force,” he added.