Opposition parties going to defeat BJP together: Rahul Gandhi

PATNA: Opposition parties are together going to defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday and claimed a battle was on between his party's "'Bharat Jodo' ideology and the BJP's 'Bharat Todo' thinking".

Underscoring the importance of unity in party ranks, he also claimed the Congress would emerge victorious in the upcoming elections in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.

Accusing the BJP of working to "divide India and spread hate and violence", he asserted that a fight of ideologies was going on in India.

"On the one hand, there is the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo' ideology and the BJP and RSS' 'Bharat Todo' thinking is on the other hand," Gandhi said while addressing a large gathering of Congress workers and leaders at the party office in the Sadaqat Ashram area here.

That is why we have come here because the DNA of the Congress is in Bihar, the former party chief said.

"All Opposition parties have come here and together we are going to defeat the BJP," he said.

Top leaders of Opposition parties went into a huddle in Patna on Friday to chalk out a roadmap for the formation of an anti-BJP front for next year's general elections. The meeting was hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD.

Gandhi said that in Karnataka, BJP leaders gave speeches and went everywhere "but the result is there for you to see".

"As soon as the Congress stood united, the BJP disappeared in Karnataka. I am saying it from this stage that the BJP will be nowhere in Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and the Congress will win," Gandhi claimed and added that this would happen because "we stand with the poor".

Asserting that the Congress was working to unite people and spread love, he said, "You know it very well that hate cannot be countered with hate. Only love can counter hate and we fight against hate. That's why we talk about love."

The former Congress chief claimed that the whole country has understood that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP work for the benefit of only two to three people, and are "handing over the entire country's wealth to them".

"The Congress means standing with the poor, meeting them, hugging them and working for them," he said.

Gandhi began his address by asking Congress workers "How is the mood", to which they replied, "It is good". He thanked them for their contribution and support to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"(During the yatra) I used to ask people in every state where are you from. Many used to say that 'I come from Bihar'. People from Bihar accompanied us everywhere -- Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Telangana, Maharashtra. You helped us in the journey because you believe in our ideology and you understand it deeply."

"I want to remind Congress workers that whether it is Bihar or any other state, you are our 'Babbar Sher (lion)'. You fight for ideology and it is the job of the Congress to protect you. It is the duty of all of us, the leaders, to protect the workers of the Congress," Gandhi told the party workers.

Later in a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, "We, the ones who unite India, will defeat those who divide India."

Gandhi along with Congress chief Kharge and a host of other party leaders participated in the Opposition meeting to chart a roadmap to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections.