In a Nagpur rally on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi revealed a conversation with a former Congress member, now a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. The MP conveyed to Gandhi that a sense of 'ghulami' (slavery) prevails within the BJP, expressing continued allegiance to Congress.
Addressing the 'Hain Taiyaar Hum' rally, Gandhi quoted the MP, stating, "A BJP MP, who was previously in Congress, met me in private and told me that 'ghulami' works in BJP. He told me that his heart is still with the Congress." Gandhi further shared the MP's insight that strict adherence to top-down directives in the BJP is paramount, sidelining the concerns of party workers. The MP emphasized that there is little room for choice in following orders from the party's leadership.
Gandhi also raised concerns about governmental influence on institutions, including key investigative bodies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He asserted that these institutions appear to operate under external pressures from the government.
Touching upon an incident involving Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, Gandhi recounted Patole's question to Prime Minister Modi about the allocation of GST to farmers. Reportedly, PM Modi's dissatisfaction with the query led to Patole's removal from his position.
The 'Hain Taiyaar Hum' rally, held in Nagpur, marked the commencement of the Congress party's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This event, coinciding with the party's 139th foundation day.