PM Modi takes dig at Sonia Gandhi, says 'those who can't fight and win elections have come to Rajasthan'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Rajasthan's Jalore on Sunday, aimed a veiled jab at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for transitioning from her longstanding Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat to a Rajya Sabha position in Rajasthan. Without explicitly mentioning Gandhi's name, PM Modi's remarks were unmistakably directed at her recent move.

Referring initially to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's previous Rajya Sabha stint from Rajasthan, PM Modi then alluded to another figure from the Congress party occupying the same position. "Another leader from the party has gone to Rajya Sabha from the state now. Those who can't fight and win elections have come to Rajasthan this time," he asserted, echoing his criticism.

Sonia Gandhi's entry into the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan followed the completion of Manmohan Singh's tenure. Having consistently secured the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat since 2004, Gandhi announced her decision not to contest the general elections this year, opting instead for the upper house.

PM Modi's rhetoric extended beyond Gandhi, accusing the Congress of eroding the nation's foundations through "parivaarwad" (dynastic politics) and corruption. He further claimed that the youth of India harbor such disdain for the Congress that they "don't want to see their face again."

This wasn't the first instance of PM Modi targeting Sonia Gandhi over her transition. In a similar vein, during a public rally in Maharashtra on Saturday, PM Modi insinuated that certain politicians were abandoning electoral battles to secure Rajya Sabha seats, implying a lack of electoral fortitude.

Sonia Gandhi's uncontested election to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan marked her maiden entry into the upper house. Her oath-taking earlier this month formalized her role as a member of the Rajya Sabha.