Congress to play on ‘front foot’ in UP,says Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, along with AICC general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindhia, on Monday made it clear that while his party respects the newly formed SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, it will fight the elections on the ‘front foot’ and with all its might.

“We respect Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji, but the Congress will contest the elections with its full might,” Rahul told the media at the UPCC headquarters in Lucknow’s Mall Avenue.

After a six-hour road-show from Amausi Airport to the UPCC office, Rahul said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be a battle between ideologies. “Lucknow has given a very warm welcome to all of us, and I want to make it clear that we are going to play on front foot in each state. This is the fight of ideology. At one hand we have our ideology of love, brotherhood and oneness and on other hand we have RSS, BJP and Modi’s hate and dividing ideology.”

“I have sent Priyanka and Jyotiraditya to Uttar Pradesh as the party was started here in this state and now it can’t be weak in this state anymore. The task to make Congress strong has been given to Priyanka and Jyotiraditya now. Although the elections are almost here, I have told them both that Congress should perform well in the polls, and in 2022 UP assembly elections, there should be a Congress government in the state,” said the Congress chief.

Rahul said the people of Uttar Pradesh have tried every government and all of them have failed and now it is time for Congress to prove its mettle. “Priyanka and Jyotriaditya will have to get down to grass-root level workers instead of highflyers to strengthen the party. Only then can we have a government here,” he said.

Once again raising the issue of Rafale deal, the Congress chief said, “Narendra Modi has cancelled the corruption clause from the Rafale deal, which ensures that the deal is cancelled if any corruption is found at any stage. The PM has taken away the 30,000 crore rupees which belonged to the people of India and that is why today the slogan ‘Chowkidar Chor hai’ can be heard in every corner of the country.”