Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivastava
New Delhi: In probably the sharpest attack so far on the country`s first family - the Gandhi family - one of its prominent member and senior BJP leader Maneka Gandhi on Thursday said that neither Sonia Gandhi`s son Rahul nor his sister Priyanka can save Congress.
Coming down heavily on the ruling party, Maneka said, “Congress has party has looted the country in the past ten years. People are so fed with the Congress rule that they are not going to vote for the party in the next elections. No Gandhi can save a dead Congress.”
Speaking to a private TV news channel, the senior BJP leader called Congress a sinking ship and said, “No body can now save Congress. Corruption and scams have badly tarnished the party`s image and its leaders have constantly looted and cheated the nation in all these years. Congress is in such a situation that no one, not even Rahul Gandhi neither his sister Priyanka can save the party.”
When asked how would she react to media reports that Congress apex leadership is mulling to give a bigger role to Rahul Gandhi, Maneka said, “It will make no difference as who leads the pack of forty thieves.”
When she was reminded that even the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has recently praised Rahul`s “outstanding potential”, the BJP leader said, “I want to ask if the person who said all this has really served as the Prime Minister of the country. The whole country knows that both Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul has kept the reins of power in their own hands. So what difference it will make as who gets what responsibility.”
Calling Congress a party of bad people, Maneka said, “The party urgently needs to change its image and people`s perception about it.”
When asked to comment on reports that Congress is planning to give a major election-related role to Priyanka Gandhi to revive its fortunes in the upcoming polls, “I don’t want to comment on her role. Congress has been projecting Rahul Gandhi for the past ten years but what happened? The situation is so worse for the party that even Priyanka Gandhi`s glamour can`t save the Congress now.”`
Finally, when asked to react on the comparisons being made between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, she said, “Rahul is no match for Modi ji. It is like a battle between a lion and a bird. Modi Ji is an elected leader with huge experience, while Rahul has failed on all fronts. Obviously, he is no match for Modi ji.”
This is possibly the sharpest attack on the Gandhi family by none other than one of its prominent member Maneka Gandhi, who along with her son Varun, are affiliated to Congress` arch-rival rival BJP.
The reactions from Maneka have come at a time when Congress is brainstorming whether Rahul Gandhi should be given a bigger role in the party or made its prime ministerial candidate for 2014 polls.
Interestingly, the AICC is also scheduled to meet on January 17 where a major announcement on Rahul is expected to be made.
