New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah, celebrating his party's gains in the northeast today, took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who flew to Italy to be with his grandmother on the Holi weekend. "Italy mein chunao bhi toh hai (Italy is holding elections too)," he quipped at a press conference.
As his audience burst into laughter, the BJP chief chuckled, "I got a WhatsApp message that there are elections in Italy. I don't know..."
Rahul Gandhi, who took over as Congress president in December, declared on Twitter on Thursday that he was off to Italy to visit his 93-year-old grandmother. This meant he would not be around for the results of the elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland - the second big day of counting since his promotion. He became Congress president just two days before the Gujarat verdict in December.
"My Nani is 93. She's the kindest soul ever. This Holi weekend I'm going to surprise her! I can't wait to give her a hug....," Mr Gandhi tweeted.
"#HappyHoli to all of you. Have a joyful celebration.," he added.
It is the BJP that is doing the celebrating today, after demolishing the Manik Sarkar-led CPM government in Tripura and pulling ahead in Nagaland with its new ally. It is also in with a chance in Meghalaya. Amit Shah said the Congress had been rejected in all three states.
Last year, Rahul Gandhi celebrated his 47th birthday on June 19 with his grandmother and Sonia Gandhi's mother Paola Maino in Italy.
Sonia Gandhi's Italian roots have often been used by the BJP to target the Congress and the Gandhis.
Amit Shah derided Rahul Gandhi during the Gujarat campaign last year, saying he needed to remove "Italian glasses" and wear "Gujarati glasses" to see the kind of development that had taken place in the state under the BJP.
As his audience burst into laughter, the BJP chief chuckled, "I got a WhatsApp message that there are elections in Italy. I don't know..."
Rahul Gandhi, who took over as Congress president in December, declared on Twitter on Thursday that he was off to Italy to visit his 93-year-old grandmother. This meant he would not be around for the results of the elections in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland - the second big day of counting since his promotion. He became Congress president just two days before the Gujarat verdict in December.
"#HappyHoli to all of you. Have a joyful celebration.," he added.
Advertisement
Last year, Rahul Gandhi celebrated his 47th birthday on June 19 with his grandmother and Sonia Gandhi's mother Paola Maino in Italy.
Advertisement
Amit Shah derided Rahul Gandhi during the Gujarat campaign last year, saying he needed to remove "Italian glasses" and wear "Gujarati glasses" to see the kind of development that had taken place in the state under the BJP.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Amit Shah In High-Level Security Meet Reviews Deployment Strategy In J&K Greater Synergy Among Agencies Will Help To Smash Terror Networks: Amit Shah "Rahul Gandhi Too...": BJP MP's Jibe After Assassination Attempt On Trump After Retest, Haryana NEET Centre With Most Top Scorers Gave This Result... Accused Of Groping, Jindal Group Executive Sent On Administrative Leave The 'Fake' CrowdStrike Worker Who Took Credit For Biggest-Ever IT Outage Students In Relief Camps Get Help From Manipur Scientists, Academicians 1 Mastermind, 2 MBBS Students Who Acted As "Solvers" Arrested In NEET Case CUET UG 2024 Results Expected Soon, Check Details Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.