In a video statement released ahead of the first phase of the West Bengal elections, Gandhi emphasized that the Congress is the party ready to challenge the BJP, which recognizes that only the Congress can halt its momentum.
“This election is about ideologies. Firstly, I need to convey that the BJP manipulates elections.
“The BJP has manipulated elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. The SIR (Special Intensive Revision) serves as a mechanism for stealing elections,” said the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha.
He noted that the BJP and Congress ideologies are clashing in India.
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“During our 4000-km Bharat Jodo Yatra, we conveyed one fundamental message — ‘nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholni hai’ (we need to open a shop of love in the market of hate),” Gandhi remarked.
He also accused the BJP of undermining Bengali culture, history, and language.
“BJP leaders propagate ‘One Nation, One Language, One Religion’. Our country is home to diverse languages, communities, religions, and ideologies. The Constitution declares that India, which is Bharat, is a Union of states. We are here to defend the Constitution, while the BJP aims to dismantle it,” he alleged.
“If Mamata (Banerjee) ji had governed honestly, if (TMC’s) Mamata ji had not divided Bengal, the BJP would not have found an opening,” Gandhi asserted.
He reaffirmed that the Congress is prepared to confront the BJP, which understands that only the Congress can impede its progress.
Gandhi called upon people to back the Congress and help establish its government in West Bengal.
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In a post on X, tagging his video statement, Gandhi addressed the people of West Bengal, saying, “Brothers and sisters, in this ideological battle, only the Congress can prevail over the BJP. They take away rights; we restore them. They aim to undermine the Constitution; we protect it. They wish to eliminate India’s diversity; we respect every culture and language, alongside Bengal.
“Let us work together to secure a definitive victory for the Congress and create a government grounded in justice, dignity, and progress in Bengal,” he concluded.
The first phase of voting in West Bengal is set for Thursday, amidst a highly polarised landscape where the focus has shifted from issues like corruption and jobs to identity, citizenship, and concerns regarding the deletion of names from electoral rolls.
The initial round of the two-phase election involves 152 of the state’s 294 seats, including all 54 seats in north Bengal’s eight districts and multiple seats in Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, and Hooghly.
The Congress is contesting independently in West Bengal, facing off against the ruling TMC as well as the BJP.
The second phase of voting is scheduled for April 29, with the counting of votes taking place on May 4.
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