The remarks came amid Gandhi upping the ante against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with INDIA bloc leaders marching to the Supreme Court on Monday to file a petition against the poll panel chief over alleged “vote chori” (vote theft).
Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad told PTI, “In a democracy, there is a difference between freedom of expression, dissent and anarchy, and Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition need to understand this. Abusing the Election Commission is not enough to win elections. You need to reach out to people and work on the ground.”
Read more: ‘Resign, turn approver’: Rahul Gandhi’s message to CEC as INDIA bloc takes fight to SC‘
He said the Congress, which played a key role in securing India’s independence, has been continuously shrinking over the last several decades.
“Particularly under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the party has failed to cross the 100-seat mark in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections, despite repeated efforts. Its support base has shrunk in several states and only a handful of states remain. This calls for introspection and Rahul Gandhi needs to reflect on the reasons behind the party’s decline,” Prasad said.
He claimed that the Congress is facing difficulties even in the states where it is in power.Read more: ‘Protest will continue until CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigns’: Bhupinder Singh Hooda ahead of INDIA bloc protest
“Although the Congress has formed governments in some states during this period, discontent is emerging even in the few states where it is in power. Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka are examples of states where the party is facing difficulties. In states where it is in the opposition, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are examples of places where intense infighting is underway,” the JD(U) leader told PTI.
“The discord within the Congress and the damage caused by Rahul Gandhi’s lack of foresight have weakened the party. To divert attention from these problems, they are abusing the Election Commission,” Prasad alleged.
