New Delhi, Nov 6 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday hosted a Diwali get together for party general secretaries, in-charges, CWC members and senior leaders in a show of solidarity at a time when the party is looking to corner the government on the “vote chori” issue.
While sources said nothing political was discussed by Gandhi, the timing of the tea party at his 5, Sunehri Bagh Road residence was seen by many as a move to keep up the party’s momentum in taking the campaign forward.
Gandhi went from table to table where over 100 leaders were seated and interacted with them, wishing them ahead of Diwali and having light-hearted and warm conversations, a leader said.
Politics was not discussed and Gandhi did not talk about any roadmap going forward but the meeting was a wonderful occasion for everyone to bond and express solidarity, the leader said.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot and Kumari Selja, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, former chief ministers Bhupender Singh Hooda (Haryana), Bhupesh Baghel (Chhattisgarh), Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Harish Rawat (Uttarakhand) and Digvijaya Singh (Madhya Pradesh), state in-charges, among others, were present.
Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Pilot said, “Unfortunately, all actions by Gyanesh Kumar ji have been illegal and unconstitutional. I think, it is time for this country to realise that people who are supposed to uphold the democratic functioning of our country have let us down. And there is empirical evidence that Rahul ji has presented many times.”
“Despite that, he (Kumar) is hiding behind the immunity that government of India has given him. There is only one person having life long immunity among 140 crore people, why so,” he asked.
Pilot, however, added that politics was not on the agenda at the tea party.
Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the Congress family had gathered and that is what happens during festivals.
Hitting out at Home Minister Amit Shah, he said, “I spent 22 days in that Parliament, hoping to catch a glimpse of the home minister. But he was nowhere to be seen. He hardly ever shows up. In the previous session, he stood in Parliament and declared that there could be no discussion on the SIR. He claims in Parliament that a discussion cannot take place, yet outside, he demands that it be discussed in Parliament.”
“Who could possibly take him seriously? Go ahead, have the debate. The nation wants to hear it…,” Khera added.
Several leaders of election-bound states were also present.
The tea party comes at a time when the Congress is looking to scale up and sustain its campaign against “vote chori”.
On Sunday, the INDIA bloc held a mega ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally at Ramlila Maidan to protest against alleged electoral irregularities and voter list revision.
A day before that, the INDIA bloc carried out a “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Kumar for alleged voter list irregularities.
(PTI News)
