Rahul's acceptance in Oppn ranks will come 'automatically': Kharge

September 09, 2018 18:27

Amid efforts to unite non-Bharatiya Janata Party forces in the run-up to the 2019 parliamentary election, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that party president Rahul Gandhi would find "automatic" acceptance in the opposition ranks sooner than later.

In an exclusive interview to PTI, the Congress veteran said the people of India were looking up to Gandhi to dislodge the BJP and his acceptance among the opposition leaders would ultimately materialise, today or tomorrow.

To drive his point home, Kharge, a former Union minister, asked which opposition leader, save Gandhi, had pan-India acceptance -- from Puducherry to Jammu and Kashmir?

"When Rahul Gandhi is working, everyone is praising his work. Acceptability is there. Because of this, there will be automatic acceptance (of Rahul Gandhi's leadership) today or tomorrow," Kharge said, when asked if the Gandhi family scion will find acceptability among the larger opposition camp.

Asked who will lead the opposition in the 2019 parliamentary election, he said it would be decided after the election but the primary purpose now was to unite everyone to oust the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power.

Referring to Gandhi's assertion that the 2019 Lok Sabha election would be an ideological fight to dislodge the BJP first, Kharge said, "We want to take the lead in dislodging the BJP. Our leader Rahul Gandhi is naturally leading this fight. We want everyone's support in this. We want everyone's cooperation. Everyone is coming together. Everything will get sorted before the election."

The veteran Congressman also said people's support for Gandhi would translate into his larger political support among opposition ranks as well.

"In this fight we want to dislodge the BJP from power for which we are all uniting. The truth also is that the people of India are looking at Rahul Gandhi, so this (his acceptability) will ultimately materialise," Kharge said to another specific question on whether senior opposition leaders such as Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Bahujan Samaj Party's Mayawati and Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar will accept a relatively young Gandhi the way they accepted former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi, 48, took over the mantle of the Congress party from his mother Sonia Gandhi in December last year.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Are MF Stress Tests Of Any Use?

These are usually found among small and midcaps. It is not easy to find such stocks, especially after a strong bull market, discovers Debashis Basu.

Bowling to these legends feels normal: Harpreet Brar

Punjab Kings left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar opened up about the areas he tries to aim for while bowling against some of the best hitters of the tournament in the ongoing Indian Premier League season.

Lookout notice issued against Prajwal Revanna

Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Thursday said a lookout circular has been issued to arrest Hassan Janata Dal-Secular MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing women.

Uber Cup: Chaliha's fight ends in agony as Indian women's team loses to Japan

Ashmita Chaliha produced a gallant fight before the young and inexperienced Indian women's team suffered a 0-3 loss to formidable Japan in the quarterfinals of the Uber Cup badminton tournament in Chengdu on Thursday.

Most NRIs Voted In Kerala!

If 74.9 per cent of NRI voters are from Kerala, Andhra Pradesh at 6.4 per cent, Maharashtra at 4.7 per cent, Tamil Nadu and Telangana at 2.9 per cent each follow way behind.