Cong to unveil manifesto in Jaipur on Apr 6: Randhawa
JAIPUR: All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge along with senior party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi among others will launch the party manifesto from Jaipur on April 6, said Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa on Thursday during a press conference.
The Congress leaders will also be addressing a public meeting before releasing the manifesto, he said. Apart from Randhawa, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state president Govind Singh Dotasara were also present during the event.Earlier in the day, a meeting of senior party leaders from across the state was held in the Congress War Room in Jaipur to discuss the preparations for the April 6 meeting, people familiar with the matter said.
Addressing the newspersons after the meeting, Randhawa said: “Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge along with senior party leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi among others will launch the party manifesto from Jaipur on April 6. The leaders will also be addressing a public meeting before releasing the manifesto.”
Meanwhile, a senior party leader familiar with the developments said that Sonia Gandhi has “increased her (political) activities” before the Lok Sabha elections. “She even attended every meeting of the Central Election Committee held to finalise the tickets,” the leader said. Gandhi was elected unopposed as Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan in February. She is expected to address more meetings in Rajasthan, said the leader on the condition of anonymity.
During the press conference, Randhawa targeted the policies of the Bharatiya Janata-led Party central government. “The BJP is talking about getting 400 seats but they are scared from within.” He alleged that while going from
Churu to Bikaner on Wednesday, his helicopter was not given permission to take off and under compulsion, he, Gehlot and Govind Dotasara had to go to Bikaner by road. “By adopting such tactics they are trying to stop Congress,” he said.
In response to a question over the Rajsamand seat, party state president Govind Singh Dotasara said that the party had given ticket to Sudarshan Singh Rawat as a strong candidate from Rajsamand but he sent a letter citing personal reasons as he will be busy for next two months as he is going outside the country.
He added the party high command will be informed about this entire matter. “The high command will soon take a decision in this matter,” said Randhawa. When asked about reconsideration of tickets in Ajmer and Bhilwara, he denied any such thing.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said: “The people are unhappy from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he crossed the limits in every sector. The people are tired and miffed but aren’t speaking due to the fear of Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax.”
“He said that during the time of Indira Gandhi, our government lost due to undercurrent. The party had lost the elections on all the seats in North India, and only Nathuram Mirdha won from Nagaur. Indira Gandhi herself lost but again her wave came and I also became an MP. A similar undercurrent can show its effect this time too,” Gehlot added.
Hitting back at Congress leaders, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the party which has a “black spot of imposing emergency and made records in toppling elected government, does not have right to make such charges.” He said: “The ED and IT are independent agencies, and those who are honest doesn’t have to fear and those who are guilty need to be punished.”