Rahul Gandhi contesting from two seats will send a strong message, says Shatrughan Sinha
Shatrughan Sinha, who decided to join the Congress, came out in strong support of Rahul Gandhi after the BJP targeted him for contesting from a second seat, Wayanad, in Kerala besides party stronghold Amethi. Popularly known as 'Shotgun' for his witty and hard hitting remarks, Mr Sinha fired on Twitter at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister Smriti Irani, the BJP candidate taking on Rahul Gandhi.
Attacking the Prime Minister for his party ridiculing Rahul Gandhi, Mr Sinha said, "...haven't you been contesting from two seats (Varanasi and Vadodara in 2014)...Sir ji haven't I explained to you time and again that what is right for Peter should be right for Paul...", said Mr Sinha, set to join the Congress on April 6.
"Great to learn the possibility of a politically astute and strategic decision of contesting from a second seat besides Amethi...this follows the ardent request from various state units...it will definitely send a political message not only to the minorities and the younger generation but the entire nation in general that Congress is with them..." Mr Sinha said on Twitter.
Stepping up attack on the Congress chief, opponent Smriti Irani had said that the people of Amethi has driven away Rahul Gandhi after his party announced that he will be contesting from a second seat. "Amethi drove him away. Calls requesting him to contest from other seats are being staged as people have rejected him," Smriti Irani tweeted in Hindi using hashtag #BhaagRahulBhaag.
Her tweet drew a sharp response from Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, who reminded how Smriti Irani managed to become a member of parliament (MP) from Rajya Sabha despite losing the Lok Sabha elections from Chandni Chowk as well as Amethi in 2014.
Shatrughan Sinha left the saffron party after a bitter acrimony for the last few years. "Painfully...on the way out of BJP...But hopefully in the best direction under the dynamic leadership of my dear friend Lalu Yadav and the desirable, most talked about leader from the Nehru-Gandhi family... the true family of nation builders...." he had tweeted on Thursday. He told NDTV that Rahul Gandhi had "praised" him for handling "attacks and vilification in the BJP with dignity."
The two-time lawmaker from Bihar's Patna Sahib will be taking on senior BJP leader and union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the fifth phase on April 17 as the Congress-RJD alliance candidate. Lok Sabha elections are being held in Bihar in six phases; the results will be out on May 23.