Will INDIA bloc try to form govt? Rahul says decision tomorrow

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi addressed a joint press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday (June 4) evening after INDIA Bloc made a stunning comeback by claiming over 200 seats.

Rahul Gandhi, the former president of the Congress party, responding to a question from a journalist whether the INDIA alliance has decided whether to remain in the opposition or to form the government, said, “Questions (of reaching out to JDU, TDP) will be raised at the INDIA meeting tomorrow. We respect our partners and we do not want to comment without consultations with them. There is a very fine line, we will decide whatever the alliance agrees with.”

Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge added, “Till the time we do not speak to our alliance partners and those who want to join our alliance, I will not comment because that would alert Modi.”

Earlier, Rahul told the reporters, “All leaders of the Congress respected INDIA bloc leaders, we contested as one, we gave India a clear alternative vision. The Constitution, the BJP's assault on reservation, Modi's direct relationship of corruption with Adani were the issues of this election, and the people of the country have clearly said that they don't want Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to run this country.”

“I am extremely proud of the people of India and the people who have resisted the onslaught on the Constitution. The poorest people, Dalits, backwards, and tribals have saved the Constitution,” said Rahul.

“The Congress and INDIA didn’t just contest this election against one party or person. We fought against institutions, against half the judiciary because all these institutions were captured and intimidated by Modi and Amit Shah. The fight was to save the Constitution and it was in my mind from the start, when they froze our accounts, broke parties, and jailed Chief Ministers, that India's people will stand up and fight against all this, and I have been proved right,” continued the Congress leader.

Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The results are a victory of the people and of democracy. We had been saying from the beginning that this is a fight between the People and Modi. We accept the mandate. The people have not given an absolute majority to any party. The BJP had sought a mandate against one person and it is now clear that the mandate is against him. It is a moral defeat for Narendra Modi.”

The Congress president continued, “The Congress party and INDIA bloc contested the election against all odds, and despite the hurdles created by various institutions, we ran a positive campaign. We raised issues of price rise, issues of farmers, joblessness, and subverting of institutions. People joined us, supported us. The kind of campaign that the PM ran will not be forgotten for a long time. The people understood the falsehoods that the PM spread during the campaign. Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra gave the foundation to our campaign and our Nyay Patra (manifesto).