Rahul Gandhi Rebukes Congress Leaders For ‘Gloating’ Over TMC Defeat

NEW DELHI-Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on May 5 criticized leaders within his own Congress party for “gloating” over the Trinamool Congress’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

In a post on X, Gandhi said, “Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC’s loss. They need to understand this clearly – the theft of Assam and Bengal’s mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy.”

“Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India,” he added.

He also said he agreed with West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s allegation of “vote chori” in the state.

“Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal. We have seen this playbook before: Madhya Pradesh. Haryana. Maharashtra. Lok Sabha 2024, etc.,” he said.

The remarks came as the BJP is set to form the next government in West Bengal with a two-thirds majority, ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress.

In the 294-member Assembly, the majority mark is 196. Of the declared results, the BJP secured 206 seats, while the Trinamool Congress won 81.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee lost her Bhabanipur seat to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by over 15,000 votes.

The Congress won two seats and the CPI(M) one, while the AISF and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party secured one and two seats respectively.

In Assam, the BJP-led alliance also registered a decisive victory. The BJP won 82 seats, while the Congress secured 19 constituencies. (IANS)