Rashid Alvi writes to Sonia; wants to take on Modi in Varanasi

March 31, 2014 19:43

Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Monday joined the party men who have offered to contest against Bharatiya Janata Partys prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat.

"For the first time, the idea of secular India is under threat.... I would request you to permit me to contest against Modi from Benares", Alvi, a former AICC spokesman, said in a letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh had also offered to contest against Modi in Varanasi so also Union Minister Anand Sharma.

Expressing confidence that this illustrious city would support him to strengthen the secular Indian values, Alvi said the "victory of Congress will be the victory of India".

Noting that Varanasi still upholds the values of Indian subcontinent, he said that it has played a crucial role in forging Indian plural identity. "It belongs to both Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Buddhists. Mughal emperors used to visit Banaras to learn from the learned Brahmins".

Talk is that Congress could finally settle for a local candidate to take on Narendra Modi in Varanasi.

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