Leaders sure of defeat took Rajya Sabha route: PM’s dig at Sonia Gandhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 21

In a veiled attack on Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said those who could not win elections had “fled the field” and had come to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

“Those who cannot contest elections, cannot win elections have fled the field. This time, they have come to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. The condition of the Congress is so bad,” Modi said, addressing a rally in Jalore.

Cong downfall its own doing

The Congress is itself to blame for its present condition... The party, which had once won 400 seats, is unable to contest 300 seats on its own. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

If Cong & allies win, there can be riots

The Congress and its alliance partners are soft on terror and indifferent towards the uplift of deprived sections. If they win, there can be riots and atrocities. Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

Former Congress chief Sonia is among the MPs elected to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan in February.

At a rally in Banswara, the PM suggested that if the Congress came to power, it would “redistribute wealth of people to Muslims and cited former PM Manmohan Singh’s remark that the minority community had the first claim on the country’s resources”. Modi alleged the Congress planned to give people’s hard-earned money and valuables to “infiltrators” and “those who have more children”.

At Jalore, Modi lashed out at the Congress as the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections intensified, saying it cannot run the country. He said the “grand old party” was a symbol of instability as it did not have candidates to field in the elections. There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, of which polling was held in the first phase on April 19 for 12 seats, while on the remaining 13 seats, including Jalore and Banswara, the polling will take place on April 26.

Ex-CM Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot is the Congress candidate from Jalore.

“In the first phase of voting, half of Rajasthan has punished the Congress. Rajasthan, which is full of patriotism, knows that the Congress can never make India strong,” Modi said.

“The Congress has hollowed the country by spreading termites of nepotism. And today, the country is punishing the Congress for its sins. The Congress is itself to blame for its present condition... The party that once won 400 seats is unable to fight 300 seats on its own,” the Prime Minister said. Modi said Rajasthan had nominated former PM Manmohan Singh to the Rajya Sabha, “but was he ever seen in the state”?

“The Congress hollowed the country by spreading the termite of ‘parivaarwad’ and corruption. The youth of the country are so angry with the Congress that they don’t want to see it again,” the Prime Minister said.

Later, in Banswara, a Scheduled Tribe seat, Modi said while the BJP did development work for the poor with complete honesty, the Congress “only sells fear, hunger and corruption”.

While the BJP has fielded Mahendrajit Singh Malviya from Banswara, the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) has fielded Rajkumar Roat, who is being supported by the Congress.

Modi reminded the audience in Banswara that the BJP had made a tribal woman, Droupadi Murmu, the President of the country.

He said the BJP would provide electricity, water and free rations to the tribal people, while the Congress on the other hand only “intimidated” Dalits, tribals and the poor.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Congress #Narendra Modi #Rajasthan #Rajya Sabha #Sonia Gandhi