Senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leader and former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ajay Rai symbolically dedicated his house in Varanasi to the party’s former president Rahul Gandhi, who has been asked to vacate his official accommodation in the national capital after his disqualification as Lok Sabha member from Wayanad following his conviction by a Surat Court.
The former MLA, who was the party’s candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and 2019, put up a board at his home in the Lahurabir locality which reads, “Mera ghar Shri Rahul Gandhi ka ghar (My home is Shri Rahul Gandhi’s home)“.
“The rulers of India ordered Rahul Gandhiji to vacate the house allocated to him. Myself, my wife and children decided to dedicate our house to Rahulji (Rahul Gandhi), we request him to come here and live in this house. He is fighting for the rights of common masses and poor people of the country,” said Mr. Rai.
The former MLA asked other people to also come forward and support Rahul Gandhi. “I started this campaign, I request other people across Kashi, U.P. and other parts of the country to come forward in supporting Rahulji, and keep his morale high. Sending an eviction notice to Rahul Ji is an act of cowardice on the part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” said Mr. Rai.
Mr. Rai, a turncoat who started his political career from the saffron party and elected as an MLA three-times on its symbol, emerged as a prominent leader of the Congress in Kashi region in 2012. He won 2012 Vidhan Sabha election from Pindra constituency.
Mr. Rai, who belongs to the Bhumihar caste, stood third in Varanasi polling with more than 1,50,000 votes during 2019 parliamentary polls where Mr. Modi was the ruling BJP’s candidate.
On Monday, the former Congress chief was served a notice by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to vacate the government bungalow by April 22.
Mr. Gandhi, in his reply, said he will abide by the notice. “Thank you for your letter of March 27, 2023, regarding the cancellation of my accommodation at 12 Tughlak Lane. As an elected member of the Lok Sabha over the last four terms, it is the mandate of the people to which I owe the happy memories of my time spent here. Without prejudice to my rights, I will, of course, abide by the details contained in your letter,” wrote Mr. Gandhi in his response to the notice.
