Lok Sabha election ‘outcome’ will ‘surprise’ people, says Rahul Gandhi; BJP hits out
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Opposition is pretty well “united” and the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will “surprise” people.
Gandhi, who is in the US for a three-city US tour, made the remarks in response to a series of questions during a free-wheeling conversation with journalists at the National Press Club in Washington.
“I think the Congress party will do very well in the next two years. I think it will,” said Gandhi, adding, “I think there is a hidden undercurrent building…I think (the outcome) will surprise people.”
“Opposition is getting more and more united. We are having conversations with all the Opposition (parties). I think quite a lot of good work is happening. It’s a complicated discussion because there are spaces where we have competing also with (other) Opposition (parties). So, it’s a little bit of give and take as required. But I’m confident that that will happen,” the 52-year-old leader said, on a question about Opposition unity.
Speaking about the Karnataka elections, where the Congress won a thumping majority ousting the BJP of its power, the former Congress president said, “Wait and watch the next three or four state elections…. which is a better indicator of what’s going to happen.”
On being asked about the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said there is a “definite capture of the institutions of the country. There’s a definite capture of the press in the country…I don’t believe everything I hear.”
He also said that press freedom is critical for democracy, on being asked about weakening press freedom in India.
“It’s not just press freedom. It’s political access on multiple axis, there is a clamp down on the institutional framework that allowed India to talk, that allowed the Indian people to negotiate… And that structure that allows the negotiation between India’s people is coming under pressure,” he added.
Responding to a question on the Congress’ alliance with Muslim League in Kerala, Gandhi said, “Muslim League is a completely secular party, there is nothing non-secular about them. I think the person (reporter) hasn’t studied the Muslim League.”
Meanwhile, the BJP has hit out at the Congress for his remarks during his recent overseas visits, saying it is a “matter of great shame”.
Union Minister RK Singh on Thursday lashed out at Gandhi and said, “No Indian will appreciate such actions. Only the Congress party endorses and engages in such conduct. Back home, they do not find any platform to do so. So, they gather hundreds of people in a room abroad and make misleading claims about their country. This isn’t something one would see any leader of another country doing. However, the Congress leaders are an exception in this regard,” he said.
Singh stated that such leaders should face the consequences for their wrongful actions, such as “contempt of court, for questioning the integrity of our judiciary”.