Sonia in Rae Bareli: Leaving Rahul in your hands, he won’t disappoint

“Your love never left me alone. I am entrusting my son to you. The way you considered me as your own, now you have to see Rahul as your own. He will not disappoint you,” said Sonia. She said Rae Bareli allowed her to serve for 30 years, terming this the “biggest asset” of her life. She said her family had a “100-year link” to the constituency.

Akhilesh urged voters and the workers of both SP and Congress to ensure a “record victory” for Rahul. He alleged that the BJP candidate in Rae Bareli, Dinesh Pratap Singh, is linked to the land mafia. Taking a jibe at the BJP for “bulldozer tactics”, Akhilesh asked people of Rae Bareli to “use their vote as a bulldozer” to give a befitting reply to the BJP as well as SP MLA Manoj Pandey, who joined the party on Friday.

Referring to the Unchahar MLA, Akhilesh said: “It has come to our knowledge that our second traitor has also gone there.”

Earlier in the day, while campaigning for Congress candidate Sharma in Amethi, Akhilesh alleged that because of the BJP, Amethi has lost the respect it commanded in the past.

Both Akhilesh and Priyanka, the AICC General Secretary, spoke about SP and Congress strengthening each other as part of the INDIA alliance. Priyanka said SP and Congress workers were like one army.

Rahul said in Rae Bareli that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sensed defeat in the elections. He said: “Goodbye ho gayi Narendra Modi ki.”

Rahul reiterated an earlier announcement made by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and promised not just 10 kg of ration but “dal and oil” too.

Telling the crowd about how he first visited Amethi with his father (former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi, when he was just 12 years old, Rahul said that he would not only be the MP from Rae Bareli but would also act as the MP of Amethi.