Rae Bareli, (12 June 2024) – In a bold assertion, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Indian Lok Sabha and former president of the Congress party, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have lost by a margin of 2-3 lakh votes if his sister Priyanka Gandhi had contested the Varanasi seat in Uttar Pradesh. This statement was made during a public meeting in Rae Bareli on Tuesday, June 11, following the recent Lok Sabha elections, as reported by the Times of India.

Rahul Gandhi addressed the gathering to thank voters for his victory in Rae Bareli and for Congress' Kishorelal Sharma's win over Smriti Irani in Amethi. During his speech, he also responded to Modi's criticism of the 'family system' in Indian politics, labeling Modi as the epitome of discrepancy between words and actions.

Highlighting the inauguration of the Ram temple, Rahul accused Modi of excluding poor, Dalits, tribals, and laborers from the ceremony. He noted that even the President of India, an Adivasi, was not invited, whereas businessmen, Bollywood stars, and sports personalities were present. According to Rahul, the people of Ayodhya expressed their discontent through their votes.

Rahul attributed the previous electoral setbacks to weak alliances but emphasized that this time, Congress had strong collaborations with parties from Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, and other regions. He suggested that the united front was a response to Modi and Amit Shah's perceived threats to India's foundational values, and that the populace stood against divisive forces.

Rahul Gandhi secured victories in both Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, and Wayanad, Kerala, but has yet to decide which seat to retain. There is speculation within Congress that Priyanka Gandhi might be nominated in the by-election for the seat Rahul resigns from. Notably, Modi's victory margin in his seat dropped from 500,000 votes in the previous election to 150,000 votes this time.