Patna, Dec 24
As businessman Robert Vadra expressed confidence in his wife, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying that many would like to see her as Prime Minister someday, the Janata Dal said on Wednesday that such statements raise questions about the leadership ability of the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.
Speaking to IANS, JD(U) National Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, "In this country, anyone can rise to any position, but the real issue is the internal struggle within the Congress. It is now becoming clear that Rahul Gandhi is not accepting certain realities, which is why Robert Vadra has mentioned Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. All these developments raise serious questions about Rahul Gandhi's ability."
He further said that Rahul Gandhi has often been blamed for the present condition of the Congress party.
"People used to say that Rahul Gandhi is responsible for the decline of the Congress. It is also a reality that in the next 10 to 20 years, there may not be any meaningful comeback for the party. Who will become the Prime Minister will be decided by the people of the country, but the current expectations are not favourable for the Congress," Prasad told IANS.
The JD(U) spokesperson also reacted to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's remarks that the country is still facing "Hindu-Muslim problems" due to the Congress party's idea of secularism and its vote bank politics.
Prasad said, "Congress played a significant role in securing India's independence. However, over time, in the pursuit of vote-bank politics, the party took several decisions that increased social unrest in the country. During the Congress rule, some of the worst communal riots occurred, from Meerut and Malihabad to Bhiwandi, deepening the divide between Hindus and Muslims. Even if the party claims to be secular today, the political reality tells a different story. Congress continues to indulge in politics based on communal polarisation."
He also reacted to the results of the Maharashtra local body elections, claiming that the verdict reflects public support for the ruling alliance.
Commenting on the outcome, Prasad said, "In Maharashtra, the alliance secured a massive victory in the state Assembly earlier, and once again, voters in rural and semi-urban areas have endorsed the Mahayuti. The Mahayuti will continue to win in the future as well."
The BJP-led Mahayuti -- comprising the BJP, the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party -- dominated the elections to municipal councils and nagar panchayats, winning 207 of the 288 municipal president posts. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was restricted to just 44 posts, highlighting the ruling alliance's strong organisational presence at the grassroots level.
Within the Mahayuti, the BJP emerged as the strongest performer, winning 117 municipal president posts and over 3,300 councillor seats, accounting for nearly 48 per cent of the total councillors elected. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the performance as "record-breaking", noting that the party had more than doubled its councillor tally compared to the 2017 local body elections.
- IANS
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