‘Congress anxious due to shrinking vote bank’: NDA hits out at Ashok Gehlot’s 2029 LS polls remark
New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday lashed out at senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over his remarks that if the NDA comes to power at the Centre in 2029, democratic elections may never take place again in India, saying that the grand old party is “anxious” due to its “shrinking vote bank”.
Gehlot made the remarks on Monday, adding that the proposed delimitation exercise is a “greater concern” than the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking to IANS, BJP National Spokesperson Prem Shukla cited late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s election being declared null and void by the Allahabad High Court in 1975, which was followed by the imposition of the Emergency.
“Mr Gehlot, Indira Gandhi, under whose shadow you entered politics, imposed the Emergency to remain in power after the Allahabad High Court ruled that she had won the election through unfair means. If any party in this country has committed the crime of cancelling elections, it is your Congress party. The BJP is a party that strengthens constitutional democracy,” he said.
Moreover, he asked the Congress leader not to spread “rumours”.
BJP MLA Ram Kadam said: “We are repeatedly stating that the Congress party cannot compete against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2029. Even if they contest, they cannot sustain or win.”
“It is precisely this fear and dread within their leaders that is driving them to try and spread misconceptions. Now, this very statement of ours has been validated by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ji himself,” he remarked.
Giving examples of BJP-led governments in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, Shiv Sena spokesperson Anand Dubey said: “Elections are still taking place, right?
He claimed that the Congress leader is facing “anxiety” because the party’s vote bank is “gradually shrinking further and further”.
“You are unable to win elections; your leader Rahul (Gandhi) ji has lost more than 100 elections. While people set records for winning, records are being set for losing here. Don’t panic over this—drink some water, take a deep breath, and practise yoga. Gehlot Sahab, you are a very senior leader, and you have also been a magician. Show some magic!,” Dubey said, taking a jibe at the former CM.
Adding to the criticism, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said that the “generation of Congress leaders” represented by Ashok Gehlot has witnessed the “erosion of democracy within the Congress” and seen how “democracy was suppressed” in the country.
“They have also seen how the Congress government introduced laws according to its own wishes,” he told IANS.