New Delhi: India’s ruling Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday kickstarted the party’s campaign for the upcoming state polls in Rajasthan by painting the principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as anti-poor and pro-rich.
The Congress party, seeking a second straight term in office in the desert state, is facing a stiff challenge from the BJP in the state legislative assembly elections likely to be held in November this year.
“Like the opposition, we too talk about development, about building roads, rail, ports, schools and bridges. But unlike them, we want those who build that infrastructure – the poor labourers – to also benefit,” Rahul said while addressing a rally in the Barmer district, adding that the Congress party is working for the poor and the youth.
“The Congress (party) wants to see the son of a labourer to fly in aeroplanes. The Congress party’s main concern are poor and youth… They should not only dream big but also work hard to realise them. The Congress (party) will do everything to help them,” Rahul said.
Gandhi was in the state to lay foundation stone for a river dam project and power plant as well as to inaugurate three units of the Chhabra power plant. With mother, the Congress party chief, Sonia Gandhi not keeping well, Rahul is expected to lead the party’s campaign in Rajasthan and other four states going to the polls. The string of foundation laying ceremonies and inaugurations were part of a plan to promote him as the potential next prime minister of the country and beat the model code of conduct that would come into force once the elections are announced. The Election Commission is expected to formally announce polls in the five states any time now.
This also happened to be Rahul’s first public rally four days after the BJP named the Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. Tuesday also happened to be Modi’s birth day.
“There are two views, one of the opposition and the other of the Congress (party). Whenever Congress tries to bring in a law for the welfare of poor, the opposition raises a hue and cry saying there is no money to implement it. The opposition created hurdles when we introduced food security bill and land acquisition bill. But when it comes to welfare of rich and industrialist, they are always ahead of others,” Rahul said, indirectly hitting out at the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi, who was promoted as the Congress party’s vice-president in January this year during a party meet held in Rajasthan’s capital city Jaipur, came up with a debatable theory saying poor are poor not because of unemployment but health-related problems and hinting at the party’s new poll promise of health for all in the next general elections.
“Ask the labourers how much they spend on treatment of diseases. Congress (party) is determined to root out this problem completely,” Rahul said, adding that the scheme of the Rajasthan government of free medicines for the poor would be implemented in other parts of the country also. “Soon it (free medicine scheme) will happen in the rest of the country. However, the opposition says it can’t be done,” Rahul said. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot who launched the free medicine scheme in his state was also present at the rally.
