Dislodging BJP without Cong. help not possible: Jairam Ramesh

Bharat Jodo Yatra is not ‘Mann ki Baat’ but a listening yatra

All India Congress general secretary and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said dislodging the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not possible without the Congress and those living in such dreams must come to the ground.

Mr. Ramesh was speaking to the media at Bondlakunta in Makthal mandal, marking the 50th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi that is presently passing through Telangana. Responding to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) plans to go national and stitch an anti-BJP platform without the Congress, he said no alternative to the BJP was possible without the Congress.

“People are entitled to their dreams but it just cannot happen that the BJP is defeated without the Congress playing a key role,” he said hinting at Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS). “Strong Congress means strong opposition and only a strong Congress can defeat the BJP,” he maintained.

Making it clear that it would be a direct contest between the TRS and the Congress in Telangana, he reminded that his party was the second largest vote shareholder in the State irrespective of the hype created by the BJP in and around Hyderabad.

Mr. Ramesh also took a dig at the TRS and MIM saying they were part of the BJP family and the MIM constantly provides the oxygen to the BJP. He alleged that Telangana Chief Minister thinks he is the 8th Nizam of Hyderabad and the State is his personal fiefdom similar to what Prime Minister Modi considers India. The MIM supports these parties playing divisive politics on religion and caste. “Congress is the only truly secular and nationalistic party.”

The Congress general secretary described Rahul Gandhi’s yatra as a people-connect programme where he listens to people rather than sharing his ‘Mann ki Baat’. “This is a listening yatra and not a speaking yatra.” Terming it a huge success in terms of people’s participation, he, however, made it clear that this was not for seeking votes but to fight the divisiveness injected by the BJP into society through religion, language, food and even dress.

Mr. Ramesh said a new Congress will emerge at the end of the yatra but whether the people want to vote for it is they have to decide. People’s response has to be translated into votes by the PCCs, DCCs, and other wings of the party. Rahul Gandhi has created that buzz and confidence and it is for the party to work on it now, he opined. Commenting on the ongoing controversy over the alleged attempts of some people trying to woo TRS MLAs with money on behalf of the BJP, he said the yatra was also about “Operation Lotus Chodo aur Bharat Jodo.”