LUCKNOW: Categorically stating, for the second time in less than 24 hours, that he was in politics to serve people, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi has asserted that he was not obsessed with the “idea of becoming Prime Minister” of the country.
By staying away from the race to become Prime Minister, Rahul has clearly taken on political rivals like BJP’s L K Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Both Advani and Modi often seem to be vying with each other to become PM despite resistance from the party.
While speaking to reporters in Varanasi on Monday, the Congress general secretary said that he was not working to become the Prime Minister of the country and that was not his idea of politics.
“I am here to serve the people and see their progress and prosperity,” Rahul noted. He also made it clear that his party would not align with the Samajwadi Party or the BSP, if the Congress does not get a mandate to rule the state.
He described the two parties - the SP and the BSP -- as political criminals for remaining cut off from the problems and hardships of the people and claimed that the BJP has been reduced to the margins and was losing its political relevance.
“Though I respect Mulayam Singhji and Mayawatiji a lot and learnt from them, it is also true that they have stopped visiting the poor and downtrodden and the people will reject them in the elections,” he said while exuding confidence that his party will improve its performance.
“Even if we don’t get the required number of seats, we will sit in the Opposition and not align with the SP or the BSP.” In reply to a question on corruption, Rahul said, “the 2G scam and the (National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scandal are indicators of the prevalent corruption in the country and it has to be removed.”
Without naming social activist Anna Hazare and his ‘fizzled out’ anti-corruption movement, Rahul said it was ironical that people who wanted to wipe off corruption from the country remained silent and those who shouted slogans, don’t want to end the menace of graft.
When his attention was drawn towards the demand for the creation of a separate Poorvanchal state, he said the matter required a thorough research and analysis, so better, it could be decided by the experts.
Rahul further said that he had come to UP to stay with people and know their problems. “I would not leave UP, come what may, whether the Congress gets 100 seats, 200 seats or not.” He said the state has to be developed and without its development, the country cannot achieve progress.