Jaipur: Reacting to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's Rajya Sabha nomination from Rajasthan, union minister Giriraj Singh took a sharp jibe on Wednesday, saying she must be tired.
“Sonia Gandhi is the biggest leader of Congress. Now, people will decide whether Congress is tired or Sonia Gandhi. We wish that she comes to Rajya Sabha,” Giriraj Singh told PTI.
Reacting to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi.
"He may think so, but in people's eyes, he (PM Modi) is the most popular leader... He (Mallikarjun Kharge) is frustrated now, he wanted to launch Rahul Gandhi but since the launching pad has some issues he couldn't be launched," he said.
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Sonia Gandhi nominated from Rajasthan
Sonia Gandhi has been nominated from Rajasthan, Akhilesh Prasad Singh from Bihar, Abhishek Manu Singhvi from Himachal Pradesh and Chandrakant Handore from Maharashtra.
Gandhi today reached Jaipur along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to file her nomination papers.
{{/usCountry}}Gandhi today reached Jaipur along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to file her nomination papers.
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Sonia Gandhi files nomination for Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan
Sonia Gandhi is a five-time Lok Sabha MP. She was also the Congress president between 1998 and 2022.
Congress leader Bhanwar Jitendra said that Sonia Gandhi's arrival would strengthen the party in the desert state.
Singh told ANI, "We welcome Sonia Gandhi. The people of Rajasthan welcome her. During the UPA I and UPA II governments, a lot of work was done, especially the MNREGA. Sonia Gandhi has worked as Congress president for a long time. So, there is great joy among Congress people and the public in Rajasthan. Her arrival will strengthen us."
Rajasthan LoP Tika Ram Jully said that it will be a matter of pride that the former Congress president will represent Rajasthan in the upper House of Parliament.
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"I think if Sonia Gandhi is coming to Rajasthan and filing the nomination today, it will be a matter of pride for us and the entire Rajasthan. This is a historic moment. She is our national leader and the epitome of sacrifice. She has a different aura. Nothing can be more important for Rajasthan than this," he said.
Priyanka Gandhi from Rae Bareli?
Sonia Gandhi currently represents Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. Her son Rahul Gandhi lost from Amethi in 2019 but won from Kerala's Wayanad.
56 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states will go to polls on February 27. The last date for the filing of nominations is February 15.
After Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi will be the second member of the Gandhi family to enter Rajya Sabha. The former prime minister was a member of Rajya Sabha between 1964 and 1967.
There are rumours of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Gandhi family's pocket borough, Rae Bareli.