PM promises to bring back black money but wears Rs. 10-lakh designer suit: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul holds poll rally in Shastri Park; attacks Modi, Kejri

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wearing an expensive suit for a meeting with the US President Barack Obama.

Congress-Vice-President-Rahul-Gandhi-addressing-an-election-rally-for-upcoming-Delhi-assembly-elections-at-Shashtri-Park-Sonu-Mehta-HT-Photo

“He (Modi) claimed that he would bring back the black money stashed in foreign banks to India and put Rs. 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account. But did you get Rs.15 lakh... But the PM was wearing a Rs. 10 lakh suit,” Rahul said at his rally in Shastri Park on Thursday.

Rahul also accused the BJP of inciting communal riots for electoral advantage. “In the 15 years that Congress was in power in Delhi, not a single riot took place but in the BJP’s rule you had riots in Trilokpuri and Bawana,” Rahul said adding that the BJP wants to divide Hindus and Muslims and wants the poor to fight amongst themselves.

“Ever since they have come to power, India has not progressed, the employment rate has not increased, but the corporate houses have been getting good business,” he added.

Rahul’s rally, which was aimed at holding back its voters from gravitating towards AAP, which had made a big dent in its vote bank in the last assembly elections, saw a good response from the crowd as around seventy per cent of the venue, which is twice the size of a football ground was full.

If the presence of moderate enthusiast supporters in rallies being addressed by Rahul is any indication, the party can hope for some relief. Despite Rahul turning up late for the rally, people waited for nearly 90 minutes and listened to his speech unlike previous infamous election rallies in 2013 where people left in between.

Shastri Park, a Congress bastion, under Seelampur constituency is a Muslim dominated area with a majority of the residents from middle-class or low-income background. Rahul said that Congress was the only party to find a place for the poor in the city.

“The reality is that the Congress intends to include the poor in Delhi’s growth story. We understand what it means to develop, and we want all to develop, but we also want the poor to be included in that dream. Our youth should feel that Delhi belongs to them as well... their (the BJP and the AAP) real goal is to keep the poor away from development,” he said at an election rally here.

Election campaign committee chief Ajay Maken took a dig at the BJP saying they had to import a chief ministerial candidate because they knew that they don’t have a face that can win them Delhi polls.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arvinder Singh was also present at the rally.

Rahul Gandhi's rally in Shastri Park attracted a large crowd. (Sonu Mehta/ HT Photo)