Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, December 31
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the ruling BJP would find it very hard to win the 2024 general election if the opposition got united behind a vision and went to the people with it.
Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference in New Delhi. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal
“If the opposition stands effectively with a vision, what I am hearing from the ground during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it would become very difficult for the BJP to win the 2024 polls.”
Answering a question by The Tribune, Gandhi said the opposition would have to go to the people with a vision to convert ground sentiment into electoral dividends.
“There’s a massive undercurrent against the BJP,” he said.
The former Congress chief said he respected the opposition but was clear that a central ideological framework would be needed to defeat the BJP and that framework only the Congress could provide.
“I respect the opposition, but take for example the SP, their vision cannot work in Kerala, Karnataka or Madhya Pradesh. It is not a national ideology. It’s the role of the Congress to provide that framework and also our role to ensure the opposition feels comfortable, and respected. They respect us. We respect them. There should be mutual respect,” Gandhi said.
On the larger opposition cold-shouldering the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi said “parties have political compulsions”.
“We have an ideological relationship with the opposition parties and we know that they are with us. They want an India full of affection, not hate. Sometimes there are political compulsions. That’s all I can say. But we have similarities which are ideological. So there’s a relationship,” he said.
Gandhi revived the party’s attack on the government over the LAC issue saying, “Political exploitation of the forces is unacceptable.”
“I come from a family of martyrs. I don’t want soldiers to get hurt. Government has completely mishandled the Chinese matter. When national leadership fails to take strategic decisions in foreign policy there’s international response. The UPA worked to keep China and Pakistan isolated but today they are one because our government has mishandled the foreign policy. Now there’s a risk. They will do something somewhere. Doklam and Tawang are preparations,” said Gandhi.
He advised the government to heed the armed forces and stop “political use of the forces”.
“Also, start taking non-military precautions. Don’t hide the border reality. China has taken 2000 sq km of land. China is getting the wrong message. We have to call out Chinese aggression and ask them to get out,” said Gandhi.
He said the government should “stop hiding behind the forces”.