From US, Rahul Gandhi blasts opposition unity, claims surprise result for 2024 polls

Washington: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the opposition is very well united and great work is being done on the ground as he asserted that there is a hidden underlying building and it will “surprise” people in the next general elections. Will do Gandhi, who is in the US for a three-city US tour, made the remarks while interacting with the media at the National Press Club here in response to a series of questions.

“I think the Congress party will do very well in the next two years. I think it will,” said Gandhi, 52, a former party president. “I think there is a hidden underlying building. I think (the results) will surprise people. Pointing to the outcome of the Karnataka assembly elections, where the Congress won a substantial majority and ousted the BJP from power, Gandhi said, “Let’s wait and see the next three or four state elections.” , A better indicator of what’s going to happen.”

Responding to another question, Gandhi said that the opposition in India is quite united. “And I think it’s coming together more and more. We’re in talks with all the opposition parties. I think a lot of good work is going on.” “It’s a complex discussion because there are places where we are competing with (other) opposition (parties) as well. So, it’s going to be a bit transactional as needed. But I’m sure it will happen,” he said.

Gandhi answered a range of questions including press and religious freedom in India, issues facing minorities, and the state of the economy. When asked about the high level of popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi around the world, Gandhi said that “there is a definite capture of the institutions of the country. There is a definite capture of the press in the country. I am not sure you know, I No, I don’t believe everything I hear.”

Asked what his party would do to ensure the rights of minorities in India if voted to power, he said, “India already has a very strong system, (but) that system has become weak.. .There is an independent set of institutions which are not coerced and controlled.And this has been the norm in India.This is a deviation which is happening in India…If you say that if Congress comes to power they will be reinstated quickly Can be done, quickly.”

On the weakening of press freedom in India, he said that press freedom is very important for democracy. “It’s not just freedom of the press. It’s political access on many axes, a clamp down on the institutional structure that allowed India to talk, that allowed the Indian people to talk….and the structure that allows dialogue between the people of India.” The pressure is coming,” he said.

On US-India relations, he said that the relations between India and the US are very, very important. “It is important to have a defense relationship. But I think we need to look at other areas (of cooperation) as well,” he said.