Ahmadabad. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched his party’s campaign for the Gujarat assembly elections with an audacious claim that the party would return to power in the state and that it will give tickets largely to grassroots workers.
“Grassroots workers will be fielded for the assembly elections,” Gandhi said during a direct interaction with party member from all the 182 constituencies at the Sabarmati riverfront in line with the party’s focus on strengthening and revving up the organisation in Gujarat.
“This time, I firmly believe no one can stop the Congress from forming the next government in Gujarat,” he said at the outreach programme.
He added that no leader from any other party joining the Congress ahead of the polls will be given ticket.
Rahul Gandhi answered 10 pre-selected questions from thousands of workers from all the 182 constituencies. Congress unit chief in Gujarat, Bharatsinh Solanki read out the questions, which Gandhi answered from a T-shaped stage erected at Sabarmati riverfront.
Except two questions – one on whether candidates with muscle and money will continue to get the tickets and what the party do if senior leaders try to defeat own party candidates – the other questions were framed in a way that gave Gandhi the chance to attack the ruling BJP.
“There is no place in party to those who try to damage the party’s prospect in the poll,” said Gandhi in one of the answer.
The Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said the BJP’s so-called ‘Gujarat model’ has failed to benefit commoners.
“We all know the Modi government works for handful of wealthy industrialists,” Gandhi alleged. “Tata Motors’ Nano project was given a sum by the BJP government which was double the Gujarat’s farmers’ debt of Rs 30,000 crore,” said Gandhi. Later he added, “Tata Motors was given soft loan at interest rate of 0.01 per cent”.
Gandhi also alleged that be it health or education, all the sectors have become business as the BJP have converted them to private from public units.
He alleged that while Congress tried to protect farmers’ land through Land Acquisition Bill, the Modi government tried its best to stall it and later cancel it in the states ruled by the BJP.
To a question which alleged media has been ‘bought’ by the Modi government, Gandhi said, “But real condition of farmers cannot be kept hidden. Besides, not entire media has been bought. There are still some who wants to write against the Modi government.”
Credit: HT
