M A I N   N E W S

Rahul’s message to Modi: We aren’t going anywhere
* Kickstarts Cong campaign in Rajasthan
* Challenges BJP
Aditi Tandon/TNS

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at a party rally in Udaipur. — PTI

Salumbar (Udaipur), September 11
The one lakh-strong crowd gathered in this tribal belt of Mewar broke into hysterical applause this afternoon when Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi kickstarted the party’s poll campaign in the state from here, throwing an open challenge to the Narendra Modi-led Opposition BJP.

“You are free to abuse us, but we are not going anywhere,” Rahul declared from Ganeshgarhi where he addressed a huge tribal gathering a day after Modi heaped jibes at him and his family during a BJP rally in Jaipur.

Of Mewar, it is said, whoever wins this belt wins the state. That explains why Congress president Sonia Gandhi had ahead of 2008 Assembly poll in Rajasthan started the party campaign from this very area leading to its victory. Former PM Indira Gandhi was also a regular visitor here, explaining the traditional support base of the party in the area.

Taking the tradition forward, Rahul launched the Congress campaign from here, steering clear of reactive politics in the party stronghold where it holds 21 of the 28 Assembly segments, the majority (16) being ST.

He kept the focus firmly on the poor playing the “aam aadmi” card to perfection and launching the party’s brand new poll slogan rooted in the recently passed food security law, “Puri roti khayenge, Congress ko layenge”.

The Congress heir apparent went to the extent of saying that he “wanted to crush his dreams to live those of the poor” - a remark that earned him frenetic response from lakhs of tribals many of whom, like 80-year-old Mana Singh, had walked miles to see and hear “their favourite leader”.

Importantly, Rahul didn’t mention Modi even once in his 40-minute speech. He castigated the BJP-led Opposition for its “anger” by invoking Lord Budha who conquered his abuser by refusing to accept his anger.

“The Guru didn’t react to his abuser and defeated him. We will also not run anyone down. We refuse to accept the Opposition’s gift of anger. They are free to abuse us, but we will continue to work for the poor,” Rahul sermonised Modi.

Playing the poverty card throughout, the young Congress leader made a perfect pitch for his party as pro-poor and the BJP as anti-poor. “That’s the difference between them and us. They say the country will progress by building roads, bridges, airports. We say the country will progress by feeding those who build all that. They disrupted Parliament, tried everything to stall the food security law, but Soniaji and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh persisted and got it passed,” Rahul said striking an emotional connect with the assembly that cheered him on as he waved back at them.

Having established a rapport with the people, the Gandhi scion went on to challenge the BJP to the hustings saying no one can defeat the Congress because the poor stand on its side. “Why is the Opposition angry? Because they know they can’t defeat us. Defeating us means defeating you and that is not possible. We are not going anywhere. You fight your struggles in villages. We will fight your struggles in the Lok Sabha,” he said, literally announcing the return of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre for a third time in a row.