NEW DELHI: Former Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi on 27th January, 2021, sounded the party’s bugle for the forthcoming assembly elections in Kerala from his Lok Sabha constituency of Wayanad and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state. Shri Rahul Gandhi also exhorted the Congress workers to ensure the party’s victory in the state polls.

Shri Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of “Weakening” and “Destroying” the country and claimed that “for the first time” Chinese troops were “sitting inside Indian territory”.

On a two-day visit to Kerala, he virtually kicked off the campaign of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). He also slammed the ruling LDF, alleging their policies have caused ‘Damage’ to the state.

Addressing UDF conventions at Thana and Nilambur in Malappuram district, forming part of his Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Shri Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the RSS was spreading hatred and it was responsible for ‘Collapse’ of the country’s economy.

“You know the damage the Prime Minister is doing to the fabric of the nation. For the first time, Chinese troops are sitting inside Indian territory. Our economy, one of the best performing in the world, has collapsed. Our youngsters simply cannot get jobs. This is the result of the ideology of the RSS,” he said.

“Of course, the Prime Minister is incompetent, but the real cause of this failure is the hatred the RSS is spreading in the country,” the former Congress president said.

Targeting Modi, he asked what happened to his ‘56-inches chest’ when the Chinese troops came inside the country. “The Prime Minister has not said a word about China in the past six months”, Shri Gandhi said.

“The Prime Minister has divided the country and spread hatred and so the Chinese have decided to come inside the country... they know the PM has weakened India and they have correctly assessed that he cannot stand up to them,” the Congress leader alleged in Nilambur.

He also claimed that Modi Ji has ‘Destroyed’ the country through the Demonetization and ‘flawed’ Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Turning to the LDF, the principal rival of the Congress in the state, the MP told the gathering that “You have faced the Left Front every day and you know the damage their policies have done to Kerala”.

Congratulating the Congress candidates who won in the local body polls and those who put up a fight and lost, he said the grassroot elections were becoming more and more important, as they represent “true voices” of the people since the representatives were closer to them.

Shri Rahul Gandhi said that when senior state Congress leaders had come to Delhi, he had told them that the UDF must view this election as special, as an election which will give Kerala a vision to go forward. The vision should be built at the ground level from the people itself.

The UDF would prepare a ‘Mass Manifesto’ by capturing the imagination of the people of the state.

“We should speak to farmers, labourers, youngsters, women, students on what they are expecting from the UDF and we should pledge that we will give what they want,” he said.

While selecting candidates, there should also be a balance between experience and youth as they represent the present and future respectively.

“Our candidates should reflect this and inspire the people,” he said adding that “The process by which the candidates were chosen should be transparent.”

“This would be a transforming election and there was a need to make the party manifesto a people’s manifesto,” he added.

“In this election, we should give the best advantage to the youngsters. I understand there is a place for experience and I also understand there is a need for giving opportunities to youngsters who are our future,” he further said.

“The party would ensure that it not only wins in the election, but sweeps it,” Shri Gandhi added.

Rahul Gandhi begins Kerala visit, meets Congress and IUML leaders

Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi on 27th January, 2021, landed at the Kozhikode airport to begin his two-day visit to Kerala, and held closed-door meetings with Congress and IUML leaders.

These included former Chief Minister OommenChandy, Ramesh Chennithala, M Ramachandran, and Indian Union Muslim League leaders - PK Kunhalikutty and KPA Majeed.

With Assembly elections around the bend, various political parties are doing their homework to finalize seat-sharing with coalition partners.

Rahul Gandhi has been insisting on promotion of new faces and women leaders in the elections to the 140-member Assembly. The state Youth Congress leadership has already submitted a list of probable candidates from among its leaders and openly demanded that they be given a fair proportion of tickets.

The former AICC President has been discussing with Muslim League leaders the seat-sharing within the United Democratic Front.

Rahul Gandhi Interacts with Girl Students in Kerala, Asks Them to Be Independent

Wandoor (Malappuram, Kerala): On a two-day visit to poll-bound Kerala, Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi on 27th January, 2021 urged girl students to be independent, especially financially and psychologically.

“The most important thing for you is your independence. That you are not dependent and you have to be able to try and survive on your own...that will include financial and psychological independence,” Shri Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Wandoor, said interacting with students of the Government Girls Higher Secondary Vocational School.

“Society does not like girls and women to be independent,” the Congress leader said.

“So, you have an added responsibility of becoming independent and helping other sisters to become so,” he said, adding humility and respect for others would help them in good stead.

He further said “There will be opportunities and disadvantages in life, and it was essential that one makes use of the advantages which come their way.”

“As youngsters,” he said “the students should open the doors of knowledge around them.”

Senior Congress leaders OommenChandy, heading a 10-member state election panel constituted by the AICC, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC President, Mullapally Ramachandran and leaders of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key partner of the UDF, among others, received him at Karipur airport.

Assembly elections in Kerala are likely to be conducted in April-May.

If most farmers understood Agri-laws, country would be on fire: Rahul

Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi has continued his tough line on the three new agricultural laws against which farmers’ groups are protesting.

Shri Rahul Gandhi spoke at an event in Kalpetta in his Parliamentary constituency of Wayanad in Kerala on 28th January, 2021.

Rahul Gandhi was quoted by ANI as saying, “The truth is that most farmers do not understand the details of the Bill (the three farm laws); because if they did, there would be an agitation all across the country. The country would be on fire.”

Shri Rahul recounted his participation in a farmers’ agitation in Bhatta Parsaul near Noida in Uttar Pradesh in 2011. Then, Shri Rahul Gandhi had spent time with farmers in Bhatta Parsaul, who were protesting against land acquisition plans of the Mayawati government, which was governing Uttar Pradesh then.

Shri Rahul Gandhi said, “Some years ago, I noticed there was an attempt to attack India’s farmers. It started in Bhatta Parsaul when their land was just being taken away. I realized that it was a problem and I started a conversation inside Congress party. Result of that was a new Land Acquisition Bill.” The land acquisition law was passed by the Manmohan Singh government in 2013.

Shri Rahul Gandhi said, “We threw out the old British bill and brought out a brand-new bill that guaranteed compensation and protection to our farmers... The first thing Narendra Modi Ji did when he became PM was trying to kill this bill. We fought him in Parliament and stopped him from killing it. He Modi told his chief ministers that he cannot defeat the bill in Parliament—they should kill it in states.”