MP: Rahul Gandhi mocks 'workaholic' PM, dares him to debate
Khargone, May 11: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reported punishing work schedule and dared him to debate on it, claiming the latter would lose face in fifteen minutes.
Speaking at a rally in Khargone Lok Sabha seat, Gandhi said Modi's "balloon" would burst when the results are declared on May 23.
"Let him (Modi) organise a debate at any place in Parliament or Gujarat. I can guarantee to the youths of the country that after 15 minutes of debate, he won't be able to show his face to them," said Gandhi, reacting to statements of BJP leaders that the prime minister works up to 21 hours a day.
"When the world sleeps, Modi is awake. In the night he sends money to (businessman) Anil Ambani."
Gandhi said Modi, despite "working so much", was unable to answer simple questions, including that of alleged irregularities in the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets.
"You (Modi) work so much, then debate with me. When I raised questions on Rafale, he was unable to reply. Even after thinking for 21 hours, he is unable to reply to the four questions (on Rafale)," Gandhi said.
"Modi's balloon will burst with a deafening sound on May 23," he said.
Gandhi, earlier in the day, also addressed a rally in Amjhera in Dhar Lok Sabha constituency.
While Govind Mujalde is the Congress candidate from Khargone, the party's contestant from Dhar is Dinesh Girwal.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
