Modi would have lost had Priyanka Gandhi contested from Varanasi: Rahul Gandhi

RAE BARELI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that had his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contested Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, she would have defeated Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a margin of 2-3 lakh votes.
Addressing a thanksgiving meeting in Rae Bareli after registering victory from the constituency, Rahul took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party for losing Ayodhya (Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency).
"People of Ayodhya have given a reply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides Ayodhya loss, the Prime Minister barely saved his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. I am sure, had my sister Priyanka contested elections from Varanasi, the PM would have lost by a margin of 2-3 lakh votes," he said.
Rahul lauds voters for Rae Bareli, Amethi win
Asserting that the common man and the poor were neglected in Ayodhya during Ram Lalla’s consecration ceremony, he said: “The PM built Ram temple but did not invite the poor, Dalits, tribals, backwards or labourers in the inaugural ceremony. Even the President of India, who is a tribal, was not allowed to attend the ceremony. Business honchos and the entire Bollywood and sports fraternity were present. The people of Ayodhya have given a reply.”
Lauding the people and workers of Amethi and Rae Bareli for creating history by ensuring the victory of Congress, Rahul said: “Desh ki rajneeti ka mahaul aapne banaya hai. Aap apni shakti samjho. Poore desh ki rajneeti aapne badal di hai.” (You set the tone for elections in India and changed the course of politics).
Having a dig at the PM, he said: “Modi ji used to say that God instructs him to work. I wonder what kind of God Modi ji has who keeps helping business honchos Adani and Ambani. You must have seen the photograph of PM Modi bowing before the Constitution of India. You have shown the BJP what could happen to anyone who meddles with the Constitution.”
Reposing faith in INDIA bloc constituents, he said that it was for the first time that different parties stood unitedly.
“Earlier, alliances did not work well. This time, parties from Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana and other parts of the country stayed together as parties realized that Modi and Amit Shah were trying to attack the very roots of India’s existence that rest in the Constitution,” he said.
Adding that he shares a bond with Amethi and Rae Bareli, he said that the relationship began 100 years ago when farmers and youths revolted against the British atrocities. “This time too, people stood up against divisive forces and ensured the victory of Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi and helped me win here,” he said.
“You have given the message that you do not like the vision of Narendra Modi. You don’t want hatred and violence and you want a new vision for the nation. UP will show the way to the country,” he said, adding that that state also gave the message that UP and India wanted to see SP and Congress together.
Priyanka also lauded the party workers and emphasized that members of the Samajwadi Party walked shoulder to shoulder with the Congress to earn a historic victory for the INDIA bloc across UP.
She also thanked AICC secretaries for putting in their heart and soul in the election.