10 December,2023 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that the Congress would face more difficulties in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls if there are people around the Gandhi family who do politics that is favourable for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported the PTI.
In his weekly column Rokhthok in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', Sanjay Raut also sought to raise doubt over the electronic voting machines (EVMS), as per the PTI.
Sanjay Raut claimed that during the counting of ballot papers (postal ballots), the Congress was ahead in 199 seats in Madhya Pradesh, but the situation changed when votes in the EVMs were counted.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, while the Congress won in Telangana. The results of assembly polls held in these states last month were declared on December 3.
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"If there are people around the Gandhis who do politics that is favourable for Modi and Shah (Union minister Amit Shah), then there will be more danger in 2024," Sanjay Raut said, referring to Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath who led the party campaign in the state, according to the PTI.
He said that PM Modi's victory "magic" worked in three states, but not in Telangana.
It is also a myth that the Congress cannot defeat PM Modi, the Rajya Sabha member said.
The party has defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in the past, he said, referring to polls in these states in 2018.
Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, the outgoing chief ministers of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, put up a fight, yet the Congress lost in these two states, the Sena (UBT) leader said.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut had earlier on Wednesday said that the next meeting of the I-N-D-I-A bloc can take place between December 16 and 18 and many things including the face of the alliance will be decided at that time, reported news agency ANI.
"The I-N-D-I-A alliance meeting was supposed to be held today but some prominent leaders were not available. There is a wedding in Mamata Banerjee's house, MK Stalin is busy with the relief operation in his flood-hit state, Nitish Kumar is not well, and Akhilesh Yadav is not available, therefore this meeting will be held on 16th or 18th of December. The face etc. everything will be decided in the meeting. We are together and you will see its result in 2024," Sanjay Raut said, reported ANI.
Seat sharing for the Lok Sabha polls, which are just four months away, is likely to be at the top of the agenda. The next I-N-D-I-A bloc meeting would also be crucial for Congress, particularly as the party lost Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, the Hindi heartland states that send a large number of members to the Parliament, reported ANI.
(with PTI and ANI inputs)
