BSP, SP & Trinamool will not support a BJP-led government: Rahul Gandhi

Mr. Gandhi also remarked on Mr. Modi’s press conference at the BJP headquarters where he did not take any questions from the media

May 17, 2019 05:40 pm | Updated 11:38 pm IST - New Delhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing the media at the AICC HQ in New Delhi on Friday.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing the media at the AICC HQ in New Delhi on Friday.

Signalling that the Congress is ready to walk the extra mile to stitch an alliance with regional parties, its president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Trinamool and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are “ideologically on the same page and will not support a BJP government”.

Mr. Gandhi avoided questions on leadership, saying that the people of India would decide on May 23 who would lead the country and there was no need to be “impatient”.

Wrapping up his two-and-a-half-month campaign, during which he addressed over 150 rallies, Mr. Gandhi held a press conference where he described his own party as an ‘A’ grade Opposition party. He accused the Election Commission (EC) of bias and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first “press conference”.

“Ideologically, they are on the same page as us. I don’t see Mayawatiji, Mulayam Singh Yadavji, Mamataji, Chandra Babu Naiduji supporting a BJP/Narendra Modi government,” Mr. Gandhi said in response to a question from The Hindu on whether the Congress was confident of working with regional playerslike SP, BSP and others.

The Congress chief said though the party did not have an alliance in crucial States like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, “the secular formation in these are going to win most of the seats in these States”.

“Our strategy about two years back was that we were going to systematically close every single door that Mr Narendra Modi could open… We closed 90% of the doors (for Modi), he closed 10% for himself by being abusive to people Mr. Naidu [Chandra Babu Naidu], by being abusive to people who had worked with him in the past,” he said.

Asked if UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi would play a part in bring parties together, Mr. Gandhi avoided a direct answer and said the party would gain from the experience of veterans like Ms Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

“This fight is about protecting all the institutions that make up this great country, it is about protecting all these institutions that give voice to this country,” he said.

Despite repeated questioning on whether he was ready to accept the leadership role, he stressed on waiting until Thursday (May 23) when people of India will give the answer.

“People of the country will decide on May 23 and I don’t want to speak about it as I respect their decision…Whatever the people order, we will follow. On May 23, we will get to know the mood of the country and the vision of the people,” he said.

Speaking about personal attacks during campaigning including from Opposition leaders like BSP chief Ms. Mayawati and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee targeting Mr. Modi, the Congress chief said while he could not comment other Opposition leaders, he didn’t approve of dragging family members into the election campaign.

Mr. Gandhi, also remarked on Mr Modi’s press conference at the BJP headquarters where he did not take any questions from the media.

“I am told the Prime Minister of India is accompanying Mr. Amit Shah [BJP President] to a press briefing. Unprecedented event,” he said and added, “Why did the Prime Minister not accept my challenge for a debate on the Rafale issue?”

He later took a dig at Mr. Modi in a tweet when he said, “Congratulations Modiji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr. Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done!”

Talking about the EC, he said while the Prime Minister got away with whatever he wanted to say, others were punished for the same issues. “I am sad that I have to say this but the role of the EC in these elections have been very biased,” the Congress chief said.

Mr. Gandhi said though the Prime Minister had a huge opportunity to deal with challenges like unemployment, farmers’ distress but Mr. Modi ‘lost sight of the real picture’.

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