Congress takes dig at BJP for fearing Priyanka Gandhi

The Congress said Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are rattled by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entry into politics but the party is not bothered and asserted that she will have a nationwide impact when she speaks. Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma accused Prime Minister Modi of being in the perpetual path of confrontation with the Congress party and attacking the party leadership relentlessly.

He, however, said the Congress party is not bothered and cautioned that those acting at their behest will be held accountable after the change of government. "Why is the prime minister Modi and Amit Shah rattled by Priyanka Gandhi's entry into politics. If it was not relevant and was not going to make a big impact on the people, then the BJP need not even react.

"What they have said, I do not attribute any wisdom to most of the BJP leaders. If you look at their bench strength, it is pathetic and I can only say that I cannot dignify such irrelevant observation with an informed response. I reject it with the contempt that it deserves," he said on BJP leaders attacking Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Sharma also said that the attack of BJP leaders, including prime minister Modi, has never stopped as they have constantly attacked the party leadership.

He also said that Modi has been rattled ever since Rahul Gandhi's appointment as Congress president and is now rattled over Priyanka Gandhi Vadra being made AICC general secretary. "If Mr Modi considers himself popular, he should not be rattled. Instead, he should take stock of his party and stop his leaders from making statements...prime minister and Amit Shah should state clearly whether he endorses such cheap statements by BJP leaders," he asked on statements made by certain BJP leaders against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

On whether Priyanka Gandhi would play a bigger role in the party, he said, her role has been defined by the Congress President himself. "I think she has been given a specific task and that is important. But, when political leaders campaign in today's time, like Rahul Gandhi speaking in Bhubaneswar, the impact will be nationwide. So wherever Priyanka Gandhi-ji will speak, it will have a national impact," he said.

"When have they not attacked Sonia Gandhi? When did the Prime minister even have a small ceasefire during Holi, Diwali or Republic Day and Independence Day and did not attack Rahul Gandhi? "Even when two armies are fighting, they will have a brief truce, but this Prime Minister and the BJP, they have not had a truce with us. He has been on a perpetual path of confrontation. So, we are not bothered, we are just cautioning that those who will be doing anything at their behest, they should be worried. In a few months' times, accountability will be enforced," the former union minister said.

Asked whether Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest Lok Sabha elections and from where the senior Congress leader said she would decide on this and the Congress president has already stated his view on this issue. To a question on Shiv Sena praising Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her role in reviving the Congress, Sharma claimed the party was already on the revival path.

"Are we not on a revival path already? Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji never stopped telling the country and the world that look at the map of India, when they were giving a call for a 'Congress-mukt Bharat' and one should now look at the map of India. So, we are already on the revival path. Now, we are on the victory path," he claimed.