Playing towards BJP on Congress-prepared pitch because of Yatra: Ramesh

By PTI

DAUSA: Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh on Sunday mentioned the Bharat Jodo Yatra has ensured that the Congress is now setting the political narrative within the nation and the BJP has been made to play on a pitch ready by his celebration.

In an interview with PTI on the yatra finishing 100 days, Ramesh additionally mentioned that Rahul Gandhi is making an attempt to sharpen the ideological foundation of the Congress and is working together with the celebration’s elected president, Mallikarjun Kharge, as a ‘jugalbandi’ (collectively).

Asked whether or not the celebration may undertake one other such yatra subsequent yr, Ramesh mentioned, “I would definitely like to take part in a Porbandar (Gujarat) to Parshuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh) Yatra however whether or not we will do it subsequent yr and the way we will do it subsequent yr, it needs to be mentioned and debated in acceptable celebration boards.

” The Congress common secretary in-charge communications asserted that by way of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has given a brand new route to the political discourse and the Congress has set the narrative for the final 100 days.

“The Congress has been applauded, criticised, praised, reviled. What it means is that we were on the defensive, we were always reacting to what the BJP was saying or what it was doing but through the Bharat Jodo Yatra I think we have succeeded to a very large extent in being able to set the terms of debate and the narrative in the political discourse,” Ramesh mentioned.

He mentioned the yatra has had an “electrifying internal effect” on the organisation in addition to on the exterior world of Indian politics.

Ramesh claimed that as a result of yatra, the BJP is on the “back foot, disturbed and nervous”.

“I think we have succeeded in changing the terms of the debate. The narrative is on our pitch now. We are playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch that is prepared by us, we are not playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch prepared by them, that is the difference,” he mentioned.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was now the conscience-keeper of the celebration, Ramesh mentioned that is a powerful phrase and one doesn’t emerge as a conscience-keeper by way of only one yatra.

“He (Gandhi) is raising issues which should be of deep concern to the Indian citizens. He is certainly seen as the ideological compass for the Congress party. We have a full-time elected Congress president and in Rahul Gandhi we have somebody who is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress,” he mentioned.

“He and Kharge ji are working as a jugalbandi. To that extent he (Gandhi) has certainly succeeded in energising the party organisation, Congress workers, supporters and giving them a new hope that the Congress party will re-establish itself as the pre-eminent political force in the country,” he mentioned.

Asked if the yatra would have an electoral influence within the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka that go to polls subsequent yr, Ramesh reiterated that it’s not an electoral yatra however an ideological one.

“It is a yatra to capture the battlefield of ideas, battlefield of ideologies. Yes we are not an NGO, we are not a ‘sanyasi’ battalion, we are a political party and we exist to fight elections and fight elections to win but whether this Bharat Jodo yatra will have a positive electoral impact, it depends entirely on the Congress organisation,” he mentioned.

“If we have unity, if we have discipline, if we have a sense of collective purpose, then I think we will be able to take forward the message of the Bharat jodo Yatra and gain electoral success,” he added.

The yatra was not began to win Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, however to strengthen the ideological moorings of the Congress, re-establish the reference to the individuals, reinforce a way of collective goal to fight the three huge challenges of financial inequality, enhance social polarisation and established political authoritarianism.

Asked in regards to the tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, Ramesh reiterated Gandhi’s earlier assertion that each leaders are belongings for the celebration.

“Whatever way forward is found by the Congress party and the high command, the principle is very clear, the organisation is supreme. Individuals come and individuals go but it is the organisational interests that are paramount,” he mentioned.

“I would stress on the supremacy of organisational interest and I am sure that is what is on the minds of the Congress president and others who are working to find a solution,” he mentioned.

Ramesh additionally contended that due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra Gandhi has been capable of re-establish within the public eye who he actually is – caring, compassionate and delicate.

“I have said earlier and I would like to repeat this is not a new Rahul Gandhi, this is the real Rahul Gandhi which the country is seeing through the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he mentioned.

Ramesh additionally slammed those that criticise the Congress unnecessarily, saying the Congress bashing is a favorite pastime of not solely the right-wing but additionally of the liberal commentariat.

“I think that needs to stop. To a large extent because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra this Congress bashing has moderated in tone. I don’t think it has vanished but it has moderated in tone,” he mentioned.

Ramesh mentioned the big liberal constituency in our nation should recognise the one approach to defeat the “polarising and poisonous” agenda of the RSS-BJP is by strengthening and reinvigorating the Congress celebration, its values and its ideology.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has accomplished 102 days and traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

DAUSA: Senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh on Sunday mentioned the Bharat Jodo Yatra has ensured that the Congress is now setting the political narrative within the nation and the BJP has been made to play on a pitch ready by his celebration.

In an interview with PTI on the yatra finishing 100 days, Ramesh additionally mentioned that Rahul Gandhi is making an attempt to sharpen the ideological foundation of the Congress and is working together with the celebration’s elected president, Mallikarjun Kharge, as a ‘jugalbandi’ (collectively).

Asked whether or not the celebration may undertake one other such yatra subsequent yr, Ramesh mentioned, “I would definitely like to take part in a Porbandar (Gujarat) to Parshuram Kund (Arunachal Pradesh) Yatra however whether or not we will do it subsequent yr and the way we will do it subsequent yr, it needs to be mentioned and debated in acceptable celebration boards.

” The Congress common secretary in-charge communications asserted that by way of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi has given a brand new route to the political discourse and the Congress has set the narrative for the final 100 days.

“The Congress has been applauded, criticised, praised, reviled. What it means is that we were on the defensive, we were always reacting to what the BJP was saying or what it was doing but through the Bharat Jodo Yatra I think we have succeeded to a very large extent in being able to set the terms of debate and the narrative in the political discourse,” Ramesh mentioned.

He mentioned the yatra has had an “electrifying internal effect” on the organisation in addition to on the exterior world of Indian politics.

Ramesh claimed that as a result of yatra, the BJP is on the “back foot, disturbed and nervous”.

“I think we have succeeded in changing the terms of the debate. The narrative is on our pitch now. We are playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch that is prepared by us, we are not playing cricket against the BJP on a pitch prepared by them, that is the difference,” he mentioned.

Asked if Rahul Gandhi was now the conscience-keeper of the celebration, Ramesh mentioned that is a powerful phrase and one doesn’t emerge as a conscience-keeper by way of only one yatra.

“He (Gandhi) is raising issues which should be of deep concern to the Indian citizens. He is certainly seen as the ideological compass for the Congress party. We have a full-time elected Congress president and in Rahul Gandhi we have somebody who is trying to sharpen the ideological basis of the Congress,” he mentioned.

“He and Kharge ji are working as a jugalbandi. To that extent he (Gandhi) has certainly succeeded in energising the party organisation, Congress workers, supporters and giving them a new hope that the Congress party will re-establish itself as the pre-eminent political force in the country,” he mentioned.

Asked if the yatra would have an electoral influence within the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka that go to polls subsequent yr, Ramesh reiterated that it’s not an electoral yatra however an ideological one.

“It is a yatra to capture the battlefield of ideas, battlefield of ideologies. Yes we are not an NGO, we are not a ‘sanyasi’ battalion, we are a political party and we exist to fight elections and fight elections to win but whether this Bharat Jodo yatra will have a positive electoral impact, it depends entirely on the Congress organisation,” he mentioned.

“If we have unity, if we have discipline, if we have a sense of collective purpose, then I think we will be able to take forward the message of the Bharat jodo Yatra and gain electoral success,” he added.

The yatra was not began to win Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, however to strengthen the ideological moorings of the Congress, re-establish the reference to the individuals, reinforce a way of collective goal to fight the three huge challenges of financial inequality, enhance social polarisation and established political authoritarianism.

Asked in regards to the tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, Ramesh reiterated Gandhi’s earlier assertion that each leaders are belongings for the celebration.

“Whatever way forward is found by the Congress party and the high command, the principle is very clear, the organisation is supreme. Individuals come and individuals go but it is the organisational interests that are paramount,” he mentioned.

“I would stress on the supremacy of organisational interest and I am sure that is what is on the minds of the Congress president and others who are working to find a solution,” he mentioned.

Ramesh additionally contended that due to the Bharat Jodo Yatra Gandhi has been capable of re-establish within the public eye who he actually is – caring, compassionate and delicate.

“I have said earlier and I would like to repeat this is not a new Rahul Gandhi, this is the real Rahul Gandhi which the country is seeing through the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he mentioned.

Ramesh additionally slammed those that criticise the Congress unnecessarily, saying the Congress bashing is a favorite pastime of not solely the right-wing but additionally of the liberal commentariat.

“I think that needs to stop. To a large extent because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra this Congress bashing has moderated in tone. I don’t think it has vanished but it has moderated in tone,” he mentioned.

Ramesh mentioned the big liberal constituency in our nation should recognise the one approach to defeat the “polarising and poisonous” agenda of the RSS-BJP is by strengthening and reinvigorating the Congress celebration, its values and its ideology.

The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari, has accomplished 102 days and traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.