Lok Sabha Election 2024: PM Modi Takes Swipe at Sonia Gandhi Over Rajya Sabha Candidacy

The recent turn of events occurred months after Mrs. Gandhi was elected unopposed as a member of the Upper House of Parliament. Prior to her tenure in the Rajya Sabha, Mrs. Gandhi had represented the Congress stronghold of Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha for a span of two decades. Additionally, she had also represented Amethi for a period of five years. In contrast, the Jalore constituency has long been a BJP stronghold, consistently claiming victory for over two decades.

During a rally, the Prime Minister raised questions about the parliamentary representation of Rajasthan by Congress MPs in the Rajya Sabha. He insinuated that the chosen representatives have neglected the state’s issues. Without directly naming Mrs. Gandhi, the Prime Minister criticized the selection of leaders who have shifted to the Rajya Sabha despite their inability to compete in elections. At present, six Congress MPs represent Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha, out of which only one is originally from Rajasthan.

The Prime Minister highlighted the “punishment” inflicted on Congress in the initial phase of the Rajasthan Lok Sabha polls, with the remainder scheduled for the following Friday. Emphasizing the importance of a strong India, the Prime Minister reiterated the country’s rejection of a Congress government and its aversion to returning to the pre-2014 scenario. He also capitalized on the “remote control” analogy to discredit the Congress, claiming that Mrs. Gandhi was effectively the Prime Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led government. Furthermore, the Prime Minister subtly criticized Rahul Gandhi for the 2013 incident where he publicly discarded a UPA government ordinance during a press conference.

This condemnation served as a testament to the Prime Minister’s assertion that the weak state of the Congress has contributed to its current predicament, noting their decreased ability to field candidates in comparison to previous elections.