Congress not afraid of NaMo’s candidature, fears saffron party might polarise polls

As the BJP played the much-awaited card of Narendra Modi’s PM candidature, the Congress tried to play down its rival’s moves. The ruling party has adopted a strategy of not making the election a Rahul Gandhi versus Narendra Modi battle.

As the BJP played the much-awaited card of Narendra Modi’s PM candidature, the Congress tried to play down its rival’s moves. The ruling party has adopted a strategy of not making the election a Rahul Gandhi versus Narendra Modi battle.

The Congress maintained that it remains unaffected by the developments in the Opposition camp. “Why should we be afraid of Modi? They should be afraid of us. Our policy to carry the forward has nothing to do with BJP’s internal issue,” Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury said.

Union I&B minister Manish Tewari tweeted, “A Nagpur-based shadowy cabal of unaccountable geriatric gentlemen in period attire can ram decisions down BJP’s throat and call it internal democracy”.

Although Congress insiders claimed the party’s strategy for the next poll will not be centred around any personality-war, it fears after Modi’s anointment as BJP’s PM candidate, the saffron party will further try to polarisne the voters on communal lines.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh, however, said, “A person, who, because of his personal ambitions, broke his own alliance and created a controversy in his own party can neither keep the nation united, nor the people will ever accept him.”

Like many other parties, UPA’s estranged ally, Trinamool Congress too, chose to ignore Modi’s elevation. “We have our own strategies,” said party’s spokesperson Derek O-Brian.