Gujarat poll dates deferred due to PM’s pending visits: Alok Sharma

When asked about the EC decision to defer the announcement of the Gujarat polls, Sharma said, "Some inaugurations and visits of 'Saheb' must be pending in Gujarat... We all know what the Election Commission is doing at the behest of the BJP like all other national organisations that run at the directions of the party."

"The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not an election campaign," says Sharma.

Congress leader Alok Sharma Saturday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced the dates for the Gujarat polls as “some visits of ‘Saheb’ may be pending” in the state ahead of the elections. Stating that the Congress would “like to remain in the opposition” than form an alliance with any other party, Sharma also clarified that poll-bound Gujarat was not included in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra as it would have disturbed the election campaign.

When asked about the EC decision to defer the announcement of the Gujarat polls, Sharma said, “Some inaugurations and visits of ‘Saheb’ must be pending in Gujarat… We all know what the Election Commission is doing at the behest of the BJP like all other national organisations that run at the directions of the party. Maybe Modiji has pending Mann Ki Baat to do in Gujarat and so, the Election Commission has not announced the date. The Election Commissioner said yesterday there is a 40-day gap (for enforcing the Model Code of Conduct)… The gaps have been longer so far.”

Sharma, who arrived in Vadodara, said the Congress was unperturbed about AAP’s presence in Gujarat. “We are strong on the ground and we will win 125 seats… There may have been shortcomings in the Congress in Punjab. The situation cannot be compared because AAP had its MLAs there since 2014 and also MPs… But Gujarat is a different ground. The people of Gujarat will not accept AAP… We may have to sit in the opposition for two, three or four times but we will not have an alliance with any party.”

On being asked why the Bharat Jodo Yatra had excluded Gujarat from the planned route, Sharma said, “It is not right to connect it to the upcoming polls. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not an election campaign. Moreover, the yatra would not have reached Gujarat in time ahead of the announcement of the Gujarat polls. We did not want the election to be disturbed as it is a time-bound procedure…”

Reacting to the recent controversy surrounding the alleged remarks made by AAP Gujarat Chief Gopal Italia against PM Modi’s mother, Sharma said, “We may be against the politics of PM Modi… but we respect that chair. Words of insult against any mother or sister of anyone is not acceptable but PM Modi himself has used unparliamentary words against Sonia Gandhi and other (women relatives) of Congress leaders. The statements of Gopal Italia or CR Paatil are all unacceptable.”

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