‘Didn’t Advani, Vajpayee...': Mallikarjun Kharge reacts to PM Modi's 'Rae Bareli' jibe at Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with his mother Sonia Gandhi after filing his nomination in Rae Bareli on Friday.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the latter’s jibe at Rahul Gandhi that he ran away from Amethi, saying BJP stalwarts LK Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had contested the Lok Sabha elections from two seats.

Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers from Rae Bareli on Friday. He is also contesting the elections from Kerala’s Wayanad.

Mallikarjun Kharge pointed out that in the 2014 general elections, PM Modi had himself contested the polls from two seats.

PM Modi had contested and won two seats in 2014 — Varanasi and Vadodara. He later relinquished the Vadodara constituency.

Kharge accused the Prime Minister of petty talk and abandoning his dignity. He claimed PM Modi was scared.

“He indulges in petty talk and attacks by abandoning his dignity There is no meaning in replying to them. Who is scared?” said Kharge.

“Didn’t (LK) Advani file a nomination from two seats? Didn’t (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee do it? He himself did it,” he added further.

The Congress veteran said PM Modi himself had “run away to Varanasi”.

On Friday, addressing a rally in West Bengal, PM Narendra Modi took potshots at Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

He said fearing defeat from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi had been searching for a safe seat for himself.

PM Modi asked Rahul Gandhi to not be scared or try to “run away”.

“I also told you earlier that the Shehzaada would start looking for another safe seat for himself, fearing defeat in Wayanad. He was so afraid after losing Amethi in 2019 that he bolted all the way down South, to Wayanad. Now, he has escaped to Raebareli. These people often go around telling people, ‘Daro maat’ (don’t be afraid). It’s now my turn to say the same to them–‘Arey daro mat, bhaago mat’ (don’t be afraid! don’t flee!),” he added.

Amethi was Rahul Gandhi’s stronghold until 2019, when Smriti Irani defeated him with over 55000 votes. Kishori Lal Sharma, the Gandhi family loyalist, is the Congress candidate from there.

Rahul Gandhi will take on BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli.

With inputs from ANI

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