Immediately after the announcement from Jaipur of Rahul Gandhi’s elevation to Congress vice-president, the BJP dismissed it as of no consequence and maintained that it was further proof of family rule in the party.
Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the so-called new responsibility to Mr. Gandhi would not make any difference to the dwindling political fortunes of the Congress and come 2014 it would be in the Opposition.
BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said the aspiration of Indian youth could not be addressed with a clamour for a bigger role for Mr. Gandhi and it was the least concern of India and Indians.
“The people of the country have decided for a change and surely will bring the BJP-led NDA to power at the Centre whenever elections are held because of its track record of good governance.”
Mr. Prasad said that at the chintan shivir in Jaipur the Congress was more chintit (worried) about its own future than having an honest introspection.
“Why is it that after nearly nine years of the Congress-led UPA rule Smt. Sonia Gandhi is worried about the aspiration of youth who constitute 50% (below 25 years) and 65% (under 35) of India’s population, as well as the middle class, who, besides the poor, are also suffering the consequences of price rise and inflation?”
The BJP leader said Ms. Gandhi should tell how much employment was given to young educated people to constructively address their concerns of security and why in spite of repeated promises of containing inflation and price rise in 100 days. people continued to suffer even after more than four-five years.
“In this scenario, on what basis will Smt. Sonia Gandhi respond to the aspiration of youth middle class and also the common man when the election is just a year away?”
The BJP alleged that the Congress was perhaps raising the issue to connect with the youth as it planned to launch Mr. Gandhi as leader in the 2014 polls. But the Congress president conveniently forgot the fundamental hard fact that rampant corruption, ad hocism, policy paralysis and shielding of the corrupt had become the defining feature of the UPA government.
