Varanasi people wants Rahul Gandhi again
The new state congress chief had contested from the same seat on a Samajwadi party ticket in 2009 and got 1,23,874 votes. Rai, who is seen as a 'bahubali' (strongman) leader, is a five-time MLA. Talking about the possibility of former party president rahul gandhi contesting from Amethi, Rai said, "The people of Amethi are demanding that rahul ji contest from this seat. The public is angered by the unfulfilled promises and working style of bjp mp smriti irani and they now want rahul gandhi again."
Former congress president rahul gandhi had contested the 2019 general elections from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh and wayanad in Kerala. He lost Amethi to bjp leader Smriti Irani. Rai said the opposition should contest the next lok sabha polls under the Congress' leadership in Uttar Pradesh too as in the national level elections. He said people would look for an alternative to the bjp, which is certainly the Congress.
"See this is a national-level election. At this stage people will look for an alternative to the bjp, which is naturally the congress," said Rai when asked what shape the india bloc will take in Uttar Pradesh and whether the lok sabha elections will be fought under the leadership of the main opposition Samajwadi Party.
"Therefore, I am sure the lok sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh will also be fought under the leadership of the Congress. However, the final decision in this regard will be taken by the central leadership," he added.
Refusing that there has been a decline of attention of the Congress' top leadership in Uttar Pradesh, Rai said this is the most important state from the political point of view and has always been their priority.
He added that rahul gandhi, priyanka gandhi and former party chief sonia gandhi would soon become more active in the state.
When asked about the challenges the congress will face if the politics of caste equations dominates in Uttar Pradesh, Rai said, "The congress has never done politics of caste or religion. It has always played the politics of issues. In the next lok sabha elections, we will go among the people on basic issues like unemployment, price rise and corruption."
The congress leader claimed the communal politics in the country is now slowly losing its effect and the people are troubled by the rising inflation and unemployment. The bjp is nervous about this and the statements of its top leadership show its trepidation, he said