New Delhi: The election fever, already reaching a crescendo with a high-octane campaign across the country, hit a feverish pitch this weekend with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a caustic jibe at the Congress and the Gandhis.
PM Modi, addressing a public rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara said that this is the first time that the Congress party’s ‘Shahi Parivar’ will not cast a vote for its own party in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, in the 2024 elections.
“There have been many elections since Independence but this is for first time that Shahi Parivar won’t be able to vote for its own party, such is the state of affairs in Congress,” said PM Modi.
“If Shahi Parivar doesn’t vote for its own candidate and party, on what basis does it have the right to seek your votes,” asked the Prime Minister.
Notably, Congress is faced with an uphill and momentous task, not just to increase its Lok Sabha tally but also to reclaim the political clout it had before 2014. In the last two LS elections in 2014 and 2019, the party’s numbers dwindled to double digits, hovering around 50 out of 543 seats.
In a bid to save the blushes and stop BJP’s victory march in Delhi’s 7 Lok Sabha seats, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stitched a poll alliance. As per the tie-up, Congress is contesting on 3 seats while AAP has fielded its candidate on 4 seats.
“There is no Congress candidate in the New Delhi constituency where the party’s ‘Shahi Parivar’ resides. And, it will be for the first time since Independence that they won’t vote for their own party,” PM Modi said, taunting the grand old party.
New Delhi constituency, which covers the residence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AAP’s Somnath Bharti is the joint INDIA bloc candidate and he will lock horns against BJP’s Bansuri Swaraj.
Since there is no Congress candidate from the constituency, Sonia and Rahul in all likelihood will vote for the AAP nominee Somnath Bharti.
PM Modi chose the Rajasthan rally to add insult to Congress’ injuries by shedding light on its pitiable and sorry state of affairs, both at the Centre and in the state, on account of ‘lacklustre’ leadership and deep factionalism in state units.
“In Rajasthan, Congress leaders are doing door-to-door campaigns and asking the people not to vote for their own party,” said PM Modi, in a clear reference to the fight between Pilot and Gehlot camps.
“Such is the condition of Congress that in Delhi, Shahi Parivar can’t vote for its candidate while in Rajasthan, they are campaigning against their own, can you trust them?” PM Modi said amidst loud cheers from the crowd.
As per the 3:4 seat-sharing agreement, Congress is contesting from North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi and Chandni Chowk seats while AAP has fielded candidates in East Delhi, New Delhi, South Delhi and West Delhi constituencies.
Delhi will go to polls on May 25 and the counting of votes will take place on June 4.
(IANS)
