PM Modi's Rajya Sabha dig at Sonia Gandhi: 'Those who can't fight and win...'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for not contesting the Lok Sabha polls and choosing a Rajya Sabha membership instead.
In Short
- PM Modi criticises Sonia Gandhi for switching to Rajya Sabha
- Sonia Gandhi elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan
- This is Sonia Gandhi's first time as Rajya Sabha member
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took an apparent dig at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for relinquishing her Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat to become a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan. Without naming the Congress leader, PM Modi said "another leader" from the party has gone to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.
PM Modi first referred to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's earlier Rajya Sabha membership from Rajasthan and then said, "Another leader from the party has gone to Rajya Sabha from the state now. Those who can't fight and win elections have come to Rajasthan this time."
The Prime Minister's remarks came during a rally in Rajasthan's Jalore on Sunday.
Sonia Gandhi filled the seat that was left vacant after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh completed his Rajya Sabha tenure. She has won the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat since 2004 but announced that she will not be contesting the general elections this year.
The Prime Minister took a dig at Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi and said, "You sent former PM Manmohan Singh to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. But did you see him in the state again? Another leader from the party has gone to Rajya Sabha from the state now. Those who can't fight and win elections have come to Rajasthan this time."
He also accused the Congress of "hollowing out the country by spreading the termite of 'parivaarwad' and corruption". The Prime Minister added that young people in the country are so angry with Congress that they "don't want to see their face again".
He had taken a similar jibe against Sonia Gandhi on Saturday while addressing a public rally in Maharashtra. Without taking names, PM Modi said, "Some politicians who have been winning the Lok Sabha polls for years left the elections and found a seat in the Rajya Sabha. They no longer have the courage to fight elections."
Sonia Gandhi was elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan and had taken oath earlier this month. This is the first time she became a member of the Rajya Sabha.