Rahul Gandhi launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, claiming that the latter narrowly avoided defeat in Varanasi but lost Ayodhya. He suggested that had Priyanka Gandhi contested from Varanasi, the prime minister would have lost that seat as well.
“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 engaging in politics of violence, spreading hatred among the public, and extending benefits to three industrialists,” Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a large thanksgiving rally in Rae Bareli on Tuesday evening.
KL Sharma, who defeated Union minister Smriti Irani in Amethi, was also present with Rahul Gandhi. The rally was moved from Amethi to Rae Bareli on Monday morning.
“You all saw that they lost the Ayodhya seat. A temple was built in Ayodhya, but no poor people were invited to its inauguration. They told the President of India she could not come. Not only in Ayodhya but also in Varanasi, the prime minister narrowly avoided evident defeat. If my sister Priyanka Gandhi had contested from there, Modi would have lost the seat by a margin of 2 to 3 lakh votes,” Rahul said, making a direct attack on the prime minister.
Speaking at the event, Priyanka Gandhi said that when she came to Rae Bareli, she told the people they had 300 hours left and could sleep for only two hours daily.
“Now the result is before you all. This is not the victory of Rahul or KL Sharma, but the victory of the people of Rae Bareli and Amethi, and they feel proud to continue serving them,” he said.
A jubilant Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh, especially Rae Bareli and Amethi, for showing their trust in the Gandhi family, for whom they are like family members. They also hinted that Rahul would retain Rae Bareli and resign from the Wayanad seat, where he won by a huge margin of over 3 lakh votes.
Earlier, upon arriving at the Fursatganj airport, both Rahul and Priyanka received a warm welcome from AICC general secretary incharge of 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. Congress will hold ‘thanksgiving’ rallies and processions in all 403 assembly segments of Uttar Pradesh over the next five days.
