New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, 53, has been pivotal in Congress’ success in this year’s Lok Sabha election results where they won 99 seats in comparison to 52 in 2019. He has galvanised the grassroots organizations of the party courtesy his Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Both yatras spread across 10,000 kms and mostly covered by foot, brought Gandhi in direct contact with the masses projecting him as a key challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After the poll results were announced on Tuesday, Gandhi, with a copy of the Constitution, thanked the people of India for saving democracy.
“The people of India have saved the Constitution and democracy. The deprived and poor population of the country stood with India to protect their rights,” Gandhi said at a press conference.
But in another, Gandhi would sit in front of a painting of Mahatma Gandhi and debunk PM Modi’s claims about Congress getting black money. “Modi ji, did you speak from your experience?” Gandhi asked.
“You will notice one interesting aspect in his speeches. He never mentions Nehru or Indira or Rajiv. Priyanka Vadra sometimes mention her family roots, but not Rahul,” said a leader who is a close aide of Rahul.
In March last year, Gandhi lost his membership from the Lok Sabha after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case by a Surat court. He returned to the Lok Sabha three months later. His speeches since then have been centred around saving the Constitution and criticising PM Modi.
“The ultimate aim of Narendra Modi and BJP is to end Baba Saheb’s Constitution and snatch away the rights and reservation from the deprived. On the one hand, government jobs are being eliminated by using blind privatisation as a weapon, which is a way to end reservation through the backdoor,” Gandhi said at a rally on May 28.
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