Priyanka Gandhi Stresses On Winning Karnataka Polls As Reply To Rahul Gandhi's Disqualification

Pic Credit: ANI

New Delhi: Congress suffered a huge setback with Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP on Friday (March 24) but the grand old party vowed to "fight" back against this development. Congress leaders came together for an urgent meeting on the issue in Delhi. Several plans of action were floated during the meeting that was chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, according to an ANI report.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who was present at the meeting suggested that Congress must focus on winning the Karnataka Assembly polls this year as a befitting reply to the BJP.

आज AICC मुख्यालय में कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge जी की अध्यक्षता और CPP चेयरपर्सन श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी की मौजूदगी में ​प्रदेश अध्यक्षों, CLP नेताओं सहित कांग्रेस के वरिष्ठ नेताओं की बैठक हुई। pic.twitter.com/wXD52PlncH — Congress (@INCIndia) March 24, 2023

According to sources, an MP also suggested that all MPs of the Congress can tender mass resignations as a way of protesting against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification. What is more likely is the formation of a committee to discuss the next course of action in this matter, as per a source quoted by ANI.

The emergency meeting included the attendance of the Steering Committee, PCC chiefs, CLP leaders, and chiefs of frontal organisations, departments, and cells at the AICC Office. 

Rahul Gandhi, on March 23, was disqualified as a Lok Sabha member after being convicted in a 2019 criminal defamation case by a Surat court over his 'Modi surname' remark. This decision was heavily criticised by Congress including other Opposition parties. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the "party will continue to fight this battle."

Furthermore, the party alleged that the move was a "strangulation of democracy". Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "The issue before us is political, more than it is legal. It is a political issue because it signifies the systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions by the ruling party. It signifies the strangulation of democracy itself."

"We know that defamation is an exception to free speech, but over the last several years, we have had repeated examples of unthinkable assaults on freedom of speech, more importantly, freedom after speech. We all know that Rahul Gandhi has been speaking fearlessly inside and outside Parliament. He is paying a price for it," he said as quoted by ANI.