On Saturday, August 26, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that Rahul Gandhi is the prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. CM Gehlot claimed that Rahul Gandhi was decided as the leader of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc by all the 26 opposition parties after holding discussions in this regard.
Speaking to India Today, Gehlot said that the opposition parties have decided to make Rahul Gandhi their prime ministerial candidate. He added that certain local factors play a crucial role, however, the public has created much pressure compelling all the parties opposed to the ruling BJP-led government to form an alliance.
Gehlot also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be “arrogant.” “PM Modi should not be arrogant, given that the BJP won power with only 31% of the vote in 2014. The other 69% were against him,” he continued while talking about the 2014 elections.
Gehlot also claimed that the NDA was “scared” when the I.N.D.I.A. coalition parties met in Bengaluru in July this year.
When asked about claims that the NDA is planning to win 50% of the vote in the 2024 general election, he responded, “PM Modi will never be able to achieve that. When Modi was at his peak popularity, he couldn’t get 50% of the vote. His vote share would fall, and the outcome of the 2024 elections will determine who becomes Prime Minister”, Gehlot said.
The Gandhi family loyalist did not stop here, as he went on to assert that the BJP could win the 2014 elections only because of Congress.
Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that Congress has made a smart move by positioning Rahul Gandhi as the face of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. He added that Rahul Gandhi’s name as the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate is pushed at the behest of the Gandhi family.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Poonawalla raised questions over where the other PM aspirants like Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar, and Mamata Banerjee stand since Congress has unilaterally declared Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate. He also pointed out that the Aam Aadmi Party has already opposed the idea of projecting Rahul Gandhi as a ‘united’ opposition face against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In last few days, Congress has very smartly, before the Mumbai meeting positioned Rahul Gandhi as the main face of the alliance. Both Baghel & Gehlot, with the assent of the 1st family, have stated this.
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) August 27, 2023
Where does that leave other aspirants like Kejriwal, Sharad Pawar,… pic.twitter.com/AAaNvRbEH1
“Even though there is no vacancy in 2024, the mere projection of Rahul over others pretty much settles the fact that Congress considers Rahul to be above Mamata, Sharad Pawar, Nitish & Arvind Kejriwal – all of whom have served or are serving as CMs !!” Poonawalla posted.
