'INDIA bloc will take a final call', Rahul Gandhi on sitting in Opposition or taking shot at govt formation

Giving his first reactions on the impressive numbers achieved by his party and the INDIA bloc partners in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that it was a fight to save the Constitution and the Constitutional institutions from the persistent onslaught of the ruling party.

On whether to sit in the Opposition or initiate a move towards government formation at the Centre, Rahul Gandhi said that the INDIA bloc meeting slated for Wednesday will decide the next course of action.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, Rahul Gandhi said that Congress always raised its voice against the 'destruction' of Constitutional institutions and the people’s mandate reinforces the belief that the 'Constitution is under threat'.

He added, “The election results have unanimously and unambiguously given a message that people do not want the leadership of PM Modi and HM Amit Shah.”

Commending a ‘section of media’, he said that some of them also contributed in the fight against the 'autocratic' regime.

“While some did it from the front, some did it secretly from behind the scenes,” he said.

A visibly ecstatic Rahul Gandhi -- who won both the Lok Sabha seats he contested from Kerala's Wayanad and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh by handsome margins -- also congratulated the INDIA bloc partners for the solid performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described the election results as a ‘political and ethical loss’ for the 'person' (Narendra Modi) who sought votes in his name.

“Congress fought the elections under highly adverse situations. Our bank accounts and funds were blocked while those raising their voices against the oppressive regime were silenced. Yet, we kept up the fight and put up a strong opposition against the oppressive regime,” Kharge said.

Heaping praise on Rahul Gandhi’s energetic and spirited campaign ahead of the elections, the Congress chief said, “Rahul Gandhi’s twin Yatras proved instrumental in not only reviving the fortunes of the Congress, but also in restricting the BJP’s march to power."

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi reached the party headquarters flanked by his sister Priyanka Gandhi, and a group of ecstatic Congress workers.

In the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA bloc sprung a surprise even for the pollsters, as most of them predicted a one-sided outcome in favour of the BJP-led NDA.

Till the last reports, the INDIA bloc was leading on at least 230 seats, while the NDA was ahead of the majority mark with leads on 290 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Indo-Asian News Service