New Delhi: Pitting himself as a direct challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asserted that regional parties such as the SP, the BSP and the TD will not support the BJP and the Opposition parties will get together to form the next government.
Questioned on the possibility of the Congress conceding the Prime Minister’s chair in case an Opposition alliance gets the required numbers, Mr Gandhi said any such call can be taken only after the results are out on May 23.
He made it clear that there would be no talks with any political party for an Opposition alliance before the results on May 23.
“The public will take a decision on May 23. On that basis we will work. Before May 23, we will not do anything,” he said.
“We are not reaching out to any party till the numbers are on the table,” he said.
Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister for refusing to take questions at his much hyped “media interaction”, held jointly with BJP president Amit Shah, Mr Gandhi mocked Mr Modi saying “showing up is half the battle”.
“Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done,” Mr Gandhi tweeted.
The Congress president said it was “very impressive” to see the Prime Minister address his first press conference a few days before the Lok Sabha election results are out.
“The PM’s first press conference is coming 4-5 days before the election results. The PM is accompanying Amit Shah in the press briefing. It is unprecedented.
Very good. I am told the doors have also been shut, as journalists who want to ask questions have been blocked. It is a great press conference,” he told the media.
“Modi keeps on hiding his knowledge and does not hold any press conference whereas I keep on talking to media every other day,” he said.
Mr Gandhi questioned why the Prime Minister had not engaged in a debate with him on Rafale jet deal even as he claimed that his party had managed to “dismantle” the “idea of Modi” over the last five years.
