In response to the assertions made by Sharmistha Mukherjee, the daughter of late former President Pranab Mukherjee, regarding Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly's Leader of the Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday of utilizing Sharmistha Mukherjee to tarnish Rahul Gandhi's image.
Wadettiwar speaking to ANI said, "These people (BJP) always fear Rahul Gandhi. They could not defame him on their own. As per a strategy, they (BJP) are defaming Rahul using someone like Sharmistha."
Sharmistha Mukherjee had recently claimed in a TV news channel interview that her late father once sarcastically remarked that Rahul Gandhi couldn't differentiate between "pm" or "am" and was unfit for the position of Prime Minister. Wadettiwar, while praising the former President, suggested that the BJP may have a hidden agenda and could be using Sharmistha to defame Rahul Gandhi.
"Pranab Mukherjee was a senior leader, and Congress did justice with his abilities. Now, why did Sharmistha ji say this? BJP always has a hidden agenda to defame a person using a third person," remarked the Leader of the Opposition.
Defending Rahul Gandhi, Wadettiwar portrayed him as a leader with an honest image, emphasizing his hard work and dedication to the country. He speculated that Sharmistha Mukherjee might be choosing a different path for herself, stating, "Maybe Sharmistha is taking a different path. She may take that road but she should not defame our leader."
Addressing Sharmistha's upcoming book on her late father, Wadettiwar noted that Pranab Mukherjee was displeased with Rahul Gandhi's frequent absence from Parliament after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Sharmistha further disclosed that the former President disapproved of Rahul Gandhi's rejection of an ordinance introduced by the then Congress government in 2013, concerning the disqualification of convicted leaders from Parliament.