New Delhi, May 3 (UNI) Congress national general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli was part of a large strategy which has befuddled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), its supporters and sycophants.
Taking to micro-blogging site X, Ramesh wrote, “Many people have many opinions on the news of Rahul Gandhi contesting elections from Rae Bareli. Remember, he is an experienced player of politics and chess.
“The party leadership takes its decisions after much discussion, and as part of a larger strategy. This single decision has befuddled the BJP, its supporters, and its sycophants. The BJP’s self-proclaimed Chanakya, who used to talk about ‘paramparagat seat’ (traditional seat) is now not sure how to respond.”
Ramesh said that Rae Bareli has been the seat not only of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi but also of Indira Gandhi herself. “It is not an inheritance, it is a responsibility and a duty,” he said.
The Congress leader said, “As far as the Gandhi family is concerned, it is not just Amethi-Rae Bareli, the entire country from north to south is the stronghold of the Gandhi family.
“Rahul Gandhi has been MP thrice from Uttar Pradesh and once from Kerala. Why has the Prime Minister been unable to muster the courage to contest an election from a single seat below the Vindhyas?”
He said that the Congress family is built on the expectations and aspirations of lakhs of workers.
He said that on Thursday an eminent journalist was sarcastically asking a ground worker of the Congress Party in Amethi, “When will it be your turn to get tickets?” Here it is! A common Congress worker will break the arrogance of the BJP in Amethi,” Ramesh said about KL Sharma being fielded against Smriti Irani.
Clarifying the party’s stand on not to field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra either from Amethi or Rae Bareli, he said that Priyanka is campaigning vigorously and is single-handedly silencing Narendra Modi’s lies.
“The way she responded to the canards that the PM was spreading on the abolition of estate duty in March 1985 was a stinging rebuke. That is why it was important that she should not be limited to just one constituency. She is campaigning across the country,” he said.
Ramesh said, “Today, Smriti Irani’s only identity is that she contests elections from Amethi against Rahul Gandhi. Now, her political relevance is over. Instead of making meaningless statements, Smriti Irani will now have to answer about local development, closed hospitals, steel plants and IIITs.”
He said that this is a long election. “There are a few chess moves still left to play. Let’s wait for a bit,” he stated.
