Guwahati: In a scathing attack on Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Himantha Biswa Sarma said, "Rahul Gandhi is very popular in Pakistan. If there is an election in Pakistan and Rahul Gandhi contests it, then he will win a huge margin of votes... We cannot defeat Rahul Gandhi in Pakistan... Rahul Gandhi would definitely win in Pakistan... How can that happen in India what Pakistan wants? Whatever Pakistan wants, the opposite will happen in India".
The reaction came in the back drop of the ongoing controversy that erupted on Wednesday May 1, after after Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a former minister in Imran Khan's cabinet in Pakistan, shared a video featuring Rahul Gandhi on his social media handle and praised the Congress leader.
Massive row erupted after the post with the BJP leaving no opportunity to train guns at Rahul Gandhi. Addressing a public rally in Anand on May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Look at the coincidence, today Congress is getting weak in India. The funny thing is that here Congress is dying and there Pakistan is crying. Now Pakistani leaders are praying for Congress. Pakistan is eager to make the prince the Prime Minister and we already know that Congress is a fan of Pakistan. This partnership between Pakistan and Congress has now been completely exposed."
On May 3, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency. Rahul was accompanied by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and her husband and businessman Robert Vadra. Rahul is pitted against Congress defector and three-time MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh in Raebareli.