Emerging from the shadow of his party’s decimation in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP of “stealing” the mandate of people and “undermining democracy” in Manipur and Goa by use of money power.
He also alleged that the Goa Governor had acted in a “partisan” manner. “They are saying that it is okay for them to misuse the office of the Governor...In the two States where we won, democracy had been undermined by them (BJP) using financial power, money. That is what is happening. The mandate of the people of Goa and Manipur has been stolen by the BJP,” he told reporters outside Parliament.
“Our fight with the BJP is an ideological fight. What the BJP has done in Manipur and Goa is their ideology and that is what we are fighting,” he said.
“It is a question of how much [money] the BJP has thrown to steal the mandate of people of Manipur and Goa. It is not about how soon they went, but how much money the BJP gave to steal the mandate of Goa and Manipur,” Rahul said, on queries of why the Congress “delayed” staking claim for government formation in both States, where it had emerged as the single largest party.
Questioning the Goa Governor’s actions, the Congress leader said a letter was issued in favour of Manohar Parrikar even before the Congress staked its claim.
“(Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun) Kharge ji showed me a letter of the Governor appointing Parrikar as Chief Minister before any floor test or anything happened. So it is difficult for us to stake claim if the Governor is already acting in a partisan manner,” he said.
BJP polarised UPThe Congress leader said BJP’s win in Uttar Pradesh was largely due to polarisation.
“I would like to say that the BJP won the election in UP and I would like to congratulate them. Why they won it, there are multiple reasons. Large part of it is polarisation. But the fact is that they won the election,” he said.
Stating that there are “ups and down” for every party, he stressed, “We were a little down in UP which is fine, we accept it. But we have a ideological fight with the BJP and we will continue to do that.”
Gandhi said in the five Assembly elections, the Congress formed its government in Punjab and won the election in Manipur and Goa. “That is not a bad result. It is true that we lost the election in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand,” he said.
The Congress leader said in Punjab as well as other States, it is the regional leaders who fought elections and won.