New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Wednesday that she would remain away from campaigning this poll season, and made an emotional appeal to the voters of Amethi and Rae Bareli to vote for the Congress and defeat the forces, which “snatched everything from them.”
Mrs Gandhi did not give any reason for her absence from campaigning in the crucial and high-stake UP elections. After she fell ill during a roadshow in Varanasi in August last year, she has limited her public engagements. Rahul Gandhi has virtually taken over the outfit and heading party meetings.
“Bahut chahate huye bhi kuchch kaarano se main aapke beech upasthit nahi hon pa rahin hun (Despite my best efforts, I am unable to be amongst you),” she said ahead of fourth phase polling in UP Thursday.
This will be the first time in nearly two decades that Mrs Gandhi will not be campaigning in the Nehru-Gandhi family pocket borough.
In her appeal, she accused the Centre of purposely trying to scuttle development projects in Amethi and Rae Bareli. Toeing her son’s line of describing the Modi government as “suit-boot ki sarkar”, Mrs Gandhi claimed that the Centre was “working for a select group of corporates, while the poor were suffering.”
Reaching out to her electorate, Mrs Gandhi wrote, “It has been a matter of pride for me and my family to represent you. Whatever we are today is because of you. We share a special bond with you and this bond is the greatest earning of my life.” She also ridiculed the BJP for failing to usher in “achhe din”.
