Caravan News
NEW DELHI — “In Uttar Pradesh, a secular formation is going to win the election. Whether the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party or the Congress, a secular party will win the vote,” said Congress president Rahul Gandhi speaking to NDTV on Thursday.
During the interview, Rahul Gandhi made it clear that the Congress was not actually dividing the Opposition vote by fielding Priyanka Gandhi to campaign in the state, and that their plan was to help the Mahagathbandhan wherever the Congress did not have strong candidates.
Congress’ primary aim was to defeat the BJP, and that they were working towards it in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi added that Congress was helping the Mahagathbandhan in the state to fulfill this ambition.
“The Gathbandhan and the Congress are going to clean Uttar Pradesh up,” Gandhi said.
Reacting to a question as to why the Congress and SP keep attacking each other, Gandhi said, “Obviously, in the UP context, the Congress is a threat to Mayawati and Mulayam Singh ji. As far as I’m concerned, I’m extremely respectful of Mayawati and Akhilesh”.
Gandhi also articulated the party’s ultimate aim in Uttar Pradesh. “My long-term position in Uttar Pradesh is clear. We have to defend our ideology in UP,” he said, adding that the Congress was also aiming to build the party up for the Assembly elections.
