Ahmedabad: Congress president-elect Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Gujarat’s ruling BJP had “distorted” his image using money and manpower.
Campaigning for the Gujarat assembly polls ended on Tuesday. Speaking to Gujarati news channels a day ahead of the second and final phase of polling, Gandhi expressed confidence that the Congress would win.
The results would be “zabardast”, Gandhi said. “We will not only get a majority, you will be surprised by the results.”
Gandhi, who will formally take over as party president later this week, said he believes in the truth and speaks the truth.
Asked if he had had an image makeover, Gandhi said, “There was no makeover. BJP workers used money to distort the reality of Rahul Gandhi... a lot of money was put into this.”
They deployed a lot of people so that Rahul Gandhi’s image could be damaged, he said.
“I believe in the truth. I speak the truth. Now the truth is coming out and they are not able to see it,” he said.
Questioned on his temple visits during the campaign, the Congress leader asked in turn, “Is there a ban on visiting temples? I go to temples as I like to go there.”
The results for the December 9 and 14 assembly election will be announced on December 18.
EC gives show cause notice to Rahul for giving TV interviews
The Election Commission on Wednesday night issued a show cause notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for “prima facie” violating the provisions of the election law and the model code by giving interviews to TV channels in Gujarat where the final phase of polls is due on Thursday.
It asked Gandhi to respond to the notice latest by December 18 evening, failing which it will decide the matter without any reference to him. The counting of votes is also scheduled on that day.
The EC, in a press statement on Wednesday evening, had said that it has asked TV channels to “forthwith stop” airing interviews of Gandhi as they violated the election law and directed the Gujarat poll authorities to lodge an FIR against anyone for infringement of legal provisions.
It said Gandhi, the Congress president-elect, talked about the Gujarat Assembly elections in which the polling for the second phase will be held on Thursday.
