Raebareli: In a fiery address at a thanksgiving rally in Raebareli on Tuesday evening, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that Modi narrowly avoided defeat in Varanasi but was defeated in Ayodhya. Gandhi suggested that if his sister Priyanka Gandhi had contested from Varanasi, Modi would have lost that seat as well.
"Modi and Shah were playing with the foundation of the nation, hence the nation united against them in this election. For the first time, I saw that the prime minister of the country is engaging in the politics of violence, spreading hatred among the public, and extending benefits to three industrialists," Rahul Gandhi declared to the massive crowd.
KL Sharma, who achieved a notable victory over Union Minister Smriti Irani in Amethi, accompanied Rahul Gandhi at the rally, which was relocated from Amethi to Raebareli on Monday morning.
Rahul Gandhi further remarked, "You all saw that they lost the Ayodhya seat. The temple was built in Ayodhya, but they did not invite any poor people to its inauguration. They even told the President of India that she could not come. Not only in Ayodhya, but in Varanasi, the prime minister somehow survived an evident defeat. If my sister Priyanka Gandhi had contested from there, Modi would have lost the seat by a margin of 2 to 3 lakh votes."
Priyanka Gandhi also addressed the gathering, highlighting the hard work and dedication of their campaign. "When I came to Rae Bareli, I said that 300 hours are left, so we can sleep for 2 hours daily, and now the result is before you all. This is not the victory of Rahul or KL Sharma, but the victory of the people of Raebareli and Amethi, and they feel proud to continue serving them," she said.
The event saw a jubilant Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi thanking the people of Uttar Pradesh, especially Raebareli and Amethi, for their continued trust in the Gandhi family. They emphasized that the people of these constituencies are like family members to them. Rahul Gandhi also hinted at his intention to retain the Raebareli seat and resign from the Wayanad seat, where he won by a significant margin of over 3 lakh votes.
Upon their arrival at Fursatganj airport, both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi received a warm welcome from Party AICC General Secretary, in-charge UP, Avinash Pandey, UPCC Chief Ajay Rai, and other senior leaders, including CLP Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' and Deputy Leader of the Party in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tewari.
The Congress party plans to hold 'Thanksgiving' rallies and processions in all 403 Assembly segments of Uttar Pradesh over the next five days to celebrate their electoral success and express gratitude to the voters.
