Lucknow: The response to senior Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra seemingly reveals that “Bharat is Rahul ji and Rahul ji is Bharat”, stated Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Brijlal Khabri, in a contemporary tackle former occasion president Dev Kant Baruah’s Nineteen Seventies declaration “Indira Is India, India Is Indira”, a reference to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
“Na darna hai, na jhukna hai (we won’t be afraid or bend down). That is the slogan of Rahul ji. You aren’t seeing some other occasion combating the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Celebration) in the present day. Take a look at all our regional events, are you able to see them combating the BJP? If anybody is combating (the BJP), it’s the Congress and our chief Rahul Gandhi is combating each battle,” Khabri instructed ThePrint Monday.
Khabri, who was appointed president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) on 1 October, days earlier than the scheduled Congress presidential election on 17 October, additionally stated, “The struggle occurs in Parliament, however that’s throughout dialogue. BJP isn’t prepared for dialogue. When there aren’t any debates in Parliament, how will the nation profit? Subsequently, Rahul ji discovered a brand new method and determined to go among the many public and took the general public alongside in Kanyakumari and in the present day in whole India, wherever he has reached (throughout his yatra), it displays that Bharat is Rahul ji and Rahul ji is Bharat.”
The UPCC president additionally claimed that within the 2024 common elections, the Congress will area candidates from all 80 Lok Sabha seats from UP — a state the place the occasion was decimated within the meeting elections held earlier this 12 months — and struggle the BJP’s “politics of hatred”.
Making it clear that “the door is open” for anybody who needs to stroll with the Congress and “struggle to save lots of the nation, democracy and Structure”, Khabri referred to as upon rival events to affix fingers within the “maha sangram (mega-battle)” of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The UP Congress president additionally defended the schedule of Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has drawn criticism from the Communist Celebration of India (Marxist) for spending 18 days in Left-ruled Kerala and solely two days in BJP-ruled UP, calling it an odd approach to struggle the BJP-RSS. The UP-leg of the yatra was, nevertheless, reportedly prolonged to 5 days.
“A map has been drawn for strolling 3,570 kilometres… in 150 days, we’re strolling as a lot. There’s nothing like injustice or leaving some place and strolling alongside others. We’re with everybody,” he stated.
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‘Will struggle all 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP’
Speaking concerning the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Khabri instructed ThePrint the Congress “will struggle the Lok Sabha polls on all 80 seats, the way in which we had fought in 2022 meeting elections” and never go away a single Vidhan Sabha seat uncontested.
“We’ll struggle with full power in order that the situation of the nation may be improved. Rahul ji has vowed to repair those that unfold hatred, the occasion which has plunged the whole nation into hatred,” Khabri stated, when requested concerning the Congress technique for the Lok Sabha polls.
Responding to studies from a number of months again concerning the Congress reaching out to Samajwadi Celebration chief Akhilesh Yadav’s estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav, who heads the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Celebration, Khabri stated the Congress was a celebration with a big coronary heart and its door is open.
“Now we have to save lots of the nation, democracy and the Structure. At this second, whoever is able to stroll with us, the door is open they usually can be part of us within the maha sangram (mega-battle) as a result of at this second, saving the nation and Structure is essential. If democracy doesn’t survive, then we can not think about what the long run will probably be like,” he stated.
Final month, nevertheless, Shivpal had remarked that his occasion will probably be within the authorities by 2024, resulting in hypothesis of a attainable alliance with the BJP-led NDA sooner or later.
Requested about his expectations concerning the Congress’ efficiency within the 2024 elections, provided that it gained just one seat in UP within the earlier Lok Sabha polls and bought a vote share of solely 6. 36 per cent within the state in 2019, Khabri exuded confidence of a greater efficiency within the upcoming polls owing to the continued Bharat Jodo Yatra.
“Wherever he (Rahul Gandhi) goes lakhs of persons are gathering round him with love… it appears whole the Bharat is strolling behind him, beside him and forward of him. Plainly Bharat is Rahul ji and Rahul ji is Bharat. At the moment we will really feel this,” he stated.
Requested concerning the seats the place the Congress could make a distinction, Khabri stated that they are going to carry out very effectively on all 80 seats in UP and “time will inform”.
‘Neighborhood following Babasaheb able to stroll with Congress’
Talking at a conference final month, Samajwadi Celebration chief Akhilesh Yadav had referred to as upon followers of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Ram Manohar Lohia to return collectively, in what was perceived to be an try to combine backward lessons, Dalits and Muslims to broaden the occasion vote financial institution.
Responding to Akhilesh’s feedback, Khabri stated, “Congress supported Babasaheb Ambedkar when he grew to become Ambedkar. Babasaheb went to the Constituent Meeting by means of the Congress. Congress and Ambedkar aren’t any totally different. The group following Babasaheb is in the present day able to stroll alongside the Congress step-by-step. I’m totally hopeful that all of us will collectively reach saving the democracy, Structure and the nation.”
Requested about leaders from Brahmin, Muslim and Dalit communities being appointed because the six provincial presidents in Congress, he stated that it might be injustice to have a look at Congress staff by means of the prism of caste and faith.
“A Congress employee will naturally come from some or the opposite caste or faith. If we have a look at the caste and faith, I believe will probably be injustice. We’re people, we could have taken start in any caste, however our ideology is similar and we’re collectively taking the Congress forward with one purpose to save lots of the nation and save individuals from inflation, unemployment and work for well being, roads, and many others. This we will do solely after we can save democracy,” he stated.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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