Kozhikode (Kerala): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on a two-day visit to Kerala after her maiden electoral win from the Wayanad hill constituency, on Saturday said the BJP did not play by any rules or follow democratic norms in its political attacks.
Comparing the BJP’s behaviour with the landslides that hit Wayanad in July, Priyanka contended that just like the natural disaster, the saffron party’s conduct knows no rules, offers no explanations and follows no democratic norms that are normally adhered to in political fights.
“The political challenges we face (from the BJP) today are like landslides. There are no rules. There are no explanations.”
“The behaviour of the ruling party (at the Centre), the BJP, knows no democratic norms, not even those we normally adhere to in a political fight,” she said while speaking at a joint public meeting, with her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, at Mukkam here.
She further said that institutions were being destroyed, leading to the wavering of the people’s basic faith in the electoral process and “the institutions that held our country together”.
Later, at a reception given to her in Karulai in Nilambur assembly constituency in Malappuram district, Priyanka reiterated — “we are fighting against the BJP that has no rules, no respect for democracy and the Constitution”.
“They have a negative and destructive agenda,” she added.
She claimed that the Parliament had not functioned for a week as the BJP was afraid to discuss certain issues on which the Congress-led opposition wanted to hold discussions in the Lok Sabha.
“We have a big battle before us in the Parliament and across India. We are fighting to safeguard our Constitution,” she said.
She also said that there was a need for a “fair, balanced and strong judiciary that is not pressurised”.
Priyanka also assured the people of Wayanad LS constituency that she was in Parliament for them and it is their voice that she will raise there.
“It is your voice that I will raise. It is your problems that I will try to resolve and it is your beliefs, values and aspirations that I will stand for each and every day from now till the end,” she said.
She further said that she will work for a better future for the people of Wayanad and added that it will be her “mission” to resolve the various issues, like human-animal conflict, night travel ban, strengthening health and education services and improving tourism, faced by them.
Priyanka said she was “doubly grateful” to the people of Wayanad for showing her the same love and affection that they showed to her brother and for choosing her to represent them in Parliament.
“Thank you very much. I will not disappoint you. I will work very hard for you. You will be happy when you see your MP,” she said.
Earlier at the public meeting, she said she would leave no stone unturned to ensure a stronger and better future for the people of Wayanad.
In the morning, after arriving at Karipur airport here, Priyanka said, “I am happy to be back here and I am ready to start working and do whatever I can to help the people of Wayanad have a better future.”
The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.
Priyanka had scored her maiden electoral victory by winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a huge margin of 4,10,931 votes, which is bigger than the lead her brother Rahul secured when he won from the constituency during the Lok Sabha general elections held early this year.
