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Modi's Raebareli dig: ‘Congress shahi family did politics, I gave AIIMS’
Modi, inaugurating AIIMS Raebareli from Rajkot, said the ‘Shahi’ family only did politics in Raebareli, the seat Sonia Gandhi has represented since 2004.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Raebareli in his speech at Rajkot on Sunday as he inaugurated five AIIMS -- Rajkot, Bathinda, Raebareli, Kalyani and Mangalgiri. Modi said the Congress 'Shahi family' only did politics in Raebareli while he did the work. "I promised Raebareli an AIIMS and I did it. I laid the foundation stone five years ago and today I inaugurated it. Your servant fulfilled his guarantee," Modi said. Then he mentioned Kalyani (West Bengal) AIIMS and said it was his another guarantee fulfilled.
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"There was a time when states used to demand AIIMS but not one was given. But now in just 10 days, seven new AIIMS were inaugurated or its foundation stones laid. That's why the country is saying that where expectations from others end, Modi's guarantee begins," PM Modi said. "For 50 years after Independence, there was only one AIIMS in the country, and that too in Delhi. In the seven decades since Independence, only seven AIIMS were approved but even these were never completed," PM Modi added.
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Narendra Modi mentioning Raebareli in his speech ahead of the election carries significance as Raebareli is a Congress stronghold which Sonia Gandhi represented for four consecutive terms. This year, Sonia Gandhi will not contest from the seat as she shifted to the Rajya Sabha. In seat-sharing agreement with the Samajwadi Party, Congress negotiated for the seat amid intense speculations that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may make her electoral debut from the seat.
Before Sonia Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, her husband Feroze Gandhi represented the seat. Jawaharlal Nehru's grandnephew Arun Nehru, and sister-in-law Sheila Kaul also won from the seat. However, Congress's hold has been becoming loose as Congress lost all the assembly segments of Raebareli in 2022. A high-octane fight is expected in Raebareli this time even if Congress decides not to field Priyanka Gandhi.
