Guwahati: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday dismissed as a ‘non-question’ the matter of the BJP or NDA coming to power and exhorted the Congress supporters to continue with the party’s ‘battle to bring power to people’.
Replying to questions from Assam party workers during his hour-long ‘hangout’ over video conferencing with Congress supporters from various states, Rahul said the Congress will retain power based on its pro-people policies and schemes.
To a question on what was his strategy to fight ‘communal forces’ of the BJP, with most of minority people already feeling insecure due to the ‘hate speeches’ of Narendra Modi, the Congress leader exuded confidence that there was nothing to be worried of as the Congress will once again come to power.
He said, ‘The Congress will win again. The question of the BJP coming to power is actually a non-question.’
Rahul said the Congress will retain power by reaching out to the people with its ideas based, not on hatred or communalism, but on love.
‘Our schemes are based on love, be it MGNREGA or RTI, which empowers people. You (the Congress workers) need to take this to the people and make them understand the Congress’ idea of love,’ he added.
Responding to another question from Assam party workers on Rahul’s take on opinion polls with some bringing down the Congress tally to less than 100, he sought to dismiss these surveys.
He pointed that opinion polls had predicted that the Congress will be thrashed in 2004 general elections, but it wrestled power from the NDA, and again in 2009, similar dip in Congress’ fortunes were predicted but once again the party came to power.
Rahul said the Congress will retain power on the basis of the ‘tremendous pro-people work’ of the government, including legislations like the Lokpal Act and RTI.
‘If the Congress can put across to the people that the very face of politics has been changed by Congress by bringing in transparency, we will retain power,’ he said, adding, ‘The battle is to bring power to the people, be it through panchayati raj or schemes such as MGNREGA.’
He said the Opposition lost 2009 elections due to MGNREGA and this time, the Congress has the more powerful Food Security Bill. (UNI)