News Tamil Nadu

BJP’s SG Suryah Slams Congress With Data Points On Rahul Gandhi Running Away From Amethi

May 3, 2024
The Commune

Uttar Pradesh, boasting 80 Lok Sabha seats, holds immense political significance in India, often being referred to as the key to Delhi’s gates. Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, serves as a symbolic representation of the state’s pivotal role in national politics. The upcoming 2024 elections witness intense competition among major political parties such as the BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Bahujan Samaj Party. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the voting schedule, spanning seven phases from 19 April to 1 June 2024, with vote counting slated for 4th June

The initial phases of the parliamentary elections have already seen the participation of voters from eight Lok Sabha constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh, with phases 1 and 2 concluded. Notably, the eagerly anticipated Amethi constituency, scheduled for Phase 5 voting on 20 May 2024, saw the Congress announce its candidate Kishori Lal Sharma only on the last day of nomination. Rahul Gandhi, anticipated to reclaim Amethi, has been declared as the party candidate for Raebareli, succeeding his mother Sonia Gandhi, who recently vacated the seat upon her transition to the Rajya Sabha.

Against the backdrop, Thanthi TV news channel hosted a debate as part of its program ‘Ayutha Ezhuthu’, titled “Silence in Amethi: Is Congress Deserting Its Fort?” Representatives from several political parties took part, including Dr. SG Suryah from the BJP, Hidayatullah from the Congress, Arunan from the CPM, and political commentator TTS Ravichandran.

Right away, host Ashokha Varshini directed a question to the Congress spokesperson, inquiring about the party’s last-minute failure to field a candidate. Hidayatullah, the Congress representative, responded with vigor, emphasizing that there remained a 24-hour window for leadership to act. However, swiftly redirecting the conversation, he shifted focus to the BJP, accusing them of rejecting candidates from Bahujan Samaj and Congress. He forthrightly alleged that beyond Indian media, international outlets had criticized Modi as a “temple of lies.” Furthermore, he asserted that the BJP, now wielding significant power, was engaging in candidate purchasing and media bribery to bolster their support.

SG Suryah, the State Secretary of the BJP in Tamil Nadu, tactfully countered accusations aimed at discrediting the party by presenting factual evidence. Suryah stated  “Amethi is the constituency where Rahul Gandhi was an MP for fifteen years. Rahul Gandhi had more preference than Modi in Thanthi TV survey in Tamil Nadu. Millions of people are watching now, and what I want to say to those people through this discussion is, how do you want someone to become the Prime Minister who is not even qualified to be an MP for one constituency? The facts would have not been presented to you. So, my intention is, Tamils ​​should know the truth that I’m going to speak today.”

He further said “In India, 17 Lok Sabha elections have been concluded and we are facing the 18th election, in which nine times the family members of Gandhi  have been MPs from the Amethi constituency. Starting from Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and his buddy Sathish Sharma, was MP twice in 1991 and 1996 by-elections. It can be assumed that 11 times out of 17 elections, members of the Gandhi family have been MPs. Now in 2019 Rahul Gandhi lost for the first time by a margin of one lakh votes. The PTI had done a story on why he had lost. What they say in that is, there is an army airfield in Amethi constituency called Fursatganj. During all the 15 years of Rahul Gandhi’s tenure as MP, he will come from Delhi to Lucknow by flight, from Lucknow to Fursatganj by helicopter … That is he will land in the center of Amethi and again will go back by helicopter. But even if Smriti Rani lost in this constituency in 2014, she would fly to Lucknow, always drive a 140 km from Lucknow in a car, and visit each village in Amethi and meet people, they say, this is a central reason.”

“Now, the development index of the constituency, where Rahul Gandhi, loved by Tamils and the Gandhi family were MPs for 50 years… We say a lot of development index in Tamil Nadu, we have grown more, North has grown less and all. The family that ruled the constituency indirectly for 50 years has 54% of people living below the poverty line, mere 14% of electrified households, mere 16% of vaccinated children in Amethi constituency. Neo-natal death i.e. the death of a child within 28 days of birth is called Neo-natal death. In 1000 births 83 children Neonatal Death in Amethi, India’s average is just 28 but in Amethi constituency 83. This is the data when Rahul Gandhi and his family were there for 15 years. Today after Modi came, we have given electricity connections to one and a half lakh houses in this same Amethi constituency since 2014. Under the Anna Yojana scheme, we are giving free 5 kg of ration to one family every month to 20 lakh people i.e. 4 lakh families.”

SG Suryah explained that his interpretation of the data stemmed from remarks made by Hidayatullah, a spokesperson for the Congress party. Hidayatullah alleged that the BJP was buying candidates and bribing voters to secure victory. Suryah suggested that such accusations were based on wrong notions and overlooked the BJP’s grassroots efforts. Then he again continued stating the data, “ In last 10 years, we have built new toilets for 4 lakh houses, we have constructed new water pipes for one and a half lakh houses, we have put pipes where water will come, we have opened Amethi’s first medical college in amethi, the medical college was delayed, there is not even a blood bank in Amethi constituency, today we have opened four blood banks. We are open after Smriti Irani came as MP and before that.”

Later, SG Suryah elaborated on his reasons for making these statements. He mentioned that there had been a prevailing notion among the public that Rahul Gandhi was out of touch with the people. While this perception was acceptable to some extent, what was more concerning was that even the individuals appointed in the MP’s office had failed to establish communication over the past 15 years. However, since Smriti Irani assumed office, the MP’s office became accessible and functional, allowing constituents to connect with her effectively, which influenced their decision to vote for her. Additionally, Suryah pointed out that Rahul Gandhi, as a Congress leader, had lost in this constituency in 2019, making him the first Congress leader in history to suffer such a defeat in Amethi constituency. He highlighted the historical context, mentioning that even during the emergency periods, the immediate election of 1977 saw Sanjay Gandhi nominated just 28 days before the election and supported by Indira Gandhi. Therefore, the failure of the Congress to announce a candidate for this constituency after independence could be seen as an acknowledgment of defeat.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.