India’s poorest said no to Modi-Shah govt, saved the Constitution: Rahul Gandhi

Election results 2024: With the Indian Constitution at display in the front, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the voters have unanimously decided that “they do not want the country to be run by Modi-Shah” and that the INDIA partners will discuss government formation in the meeting scheduled on Wednesday.

Thanking the people of India for the Congress party’s resounding comeback, Gandhi said that the “poorest of the poor” took on the fight to save the Constitution and won.

“The INDIA partners and Congress did not just contest this election against a political party, but this election was fought against BJP, governance structure, intelligence agencies, CBI, ED, and half the judiciary because all these institutions were captured and threatened by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah,” said Gandhi at a press conference.

“The main thing that this election has said, the country has clearly and unanimously stated – we do not want Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to be involved in running this country. We do not like the way they have run this country. We do not appreciate the way they have attacked the Constitution. That is a huge message to Narendra Modi.”

Gandhi also highlighted BJP’s controversial stance on reservation and reiterated the need to protect the Constitution, which he described as “the voice of the people of the country”. He assured the public that Congress stands by them and is committed to fulfilling its promises.

Addressing questions on government formation, Gandhi emphasised the importance of collaboration within the INDIA alliance.

“As we have said earlier, we will have a meeting with INDIA partners. Questions on the formation of the government will be raised and answered there. We respect our partners and do not want to answer without discussing with our parties.”

Gandhi also expressed gratitude to the voters of Raebareli and Wayanad for their support.

All India Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge echoed the sentiment.

“Today, the election results reflect public’s win and democracy’s victory. We have been saying for a long time that it was public versus Modi. We accept the mandate with humility. Voters have not given any one party an absolute majority. The BJP sought votes on Modi’s face, so it is a defeat of Modi. It is his loss.”

Kharge highlighted the “adversities” the party faced during the campaign, including the freezing of bank accounts and the imprisonment of opposition leaders by the ED and CBI.

“Despite these challenges, people rallied behind the Congress. Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ helped us understand people’s problems, and based on that, we crafted our manifesto and reached every household.”

Also read: Election Results 2024: Supporters throng BJP HQ, leaders remain absent

He pointed out that BJP’s arrogance and tactics backfired, with people recognising the threat another term for Modi posed to the Constitution.

Kharge extended heartfelt thanks to Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi, the party’s cadres nationwide, and the supporters of the INDIA alliance. He emphasised the collective effort, “We helped each other. Our fight is not over yet.”

“This election marks a significant moment for the INDIA bloc, highlighting the public’s desire for change and the importance of upholding democratic values and the Constitution,” he said.

The latest trends in the counting of votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have shown a significant resurgence for the Congress party. The INDIA alliance made notable inroads in several politically crucial Hindi heartland states, leading in over 40 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, and showing steady progress in Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, and Jharkhand.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led alliance is set to retain power for a third consecutive term but not with an overwhelming majority as predicted by various exit polls.

The most unexpected performance put up by the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) was in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh where Samajwadi Party was marching ahead in 35 seats and Congress in seven, according to the trends.

The BJP is leading in 34 seats, its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal in two constituencies and Apna Dal (Soneylal) and Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) in one each.

The opposition bloc’s performance in Uttar Pradesh is being seen as a big surprise for the BJP that had almost swept the polls in 2014 with a stunning performance of coming out victorious in 71 seats and held its ground in 2019 by winning 62.