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Varun praise for Rahul puts BJP in a dilemma
Highlights
Varun praise for Rahul puts BJP in a dilemma. BJP General Secretary Varun Gandhi embarrassed the BJP, when, out-of-the-blue, he praised his estranged cousin, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, for the good work done in Amethi.
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New Delhi: BJP General Secretary Varun Gandhi embarrassed the BJP, when, out-of-the-blue, he praised his estranged cousin, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, for the good work done in Amethi. Varun, who has been pitted by the BJP central leadership from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, surprised everyone by declaring, ‘I want to bring in a new form of politics. We need small-scale industries, the kind of self-help groups that Rahulji has set up successfully in Amethi, though I haven't seen his work personally.’
Varun was speaking to a group of activists and NGOs, when he lauded the work done by Rahul Gandhi.
A red-faced BJP leadership asked Varun to give explanation and soon he came up with his clarification on the twitter, saying, ‘It should NOT be seen as an endorsement of any political party or candidate.’
However, the clarification came only after Rahul Gandhi had embraced the adulation, saying, ‘What Varun is saying is right. I am very glad that others are appreciating the work I have done in Amethi.’ It is for the first time that the estranged cousins have praised and reacted to one another.
Varun Gandhi's praise was welcomed by the Congress, but it enraged the BJP leaders, who were only looking forward to see their Sultanpur candidate giving a few embarrassing moments to Rahul.
At the time when the BJP had picked Smriti Irani to take-on Congress Prime Ministerial face in Amethi, Varun's remarks blunted the attack against Rahul, as he wanted to emulate his cousin's work in Sultanpur.
The damage-control exercise by BJP Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, who criticized Rahul for not containing poverty and price-rise in the country and by Smriti Irani, who quoted Government of India MSME Report on Amethi, saying that there are 148 micro and small enterprise units employing only 593 people, could not undo the harm already done by the BJP General-Secretary Varun Gandhi.
According to sources, Varun Gandhi is peeved with the BJP leadership for sidelining him in the polls and not entrusting him with the responsibility of overseeing the Uttar Pradesh elections. Varun was aspiring for a bigger role in the party, especially when the BJP had set its sights on improving the party's tally in the Hindi-heartland of UP. Instead, the entire charge was handed over to Modi's right-hand man Amit Shah, who was taking his own decisions and did not want any outside interference. Varun, instead, was shifted to Sultanpur from Pilibhit and was asked to take-on the Gandhis in their pocket-borough.
Not one to be dictated by anyone, Varun has hit the BJP leadership where it hurts the most by praising arch-rival Rahul, who is busy running down the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
It was only a few days earlier when Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi had lashed out at her sister-in-law Sonia Gandhi, wondering that though she did not bring any dowry from Italy, her wealth had multiplied over the years. It was this type of language, which was expected from Varun Gandhi, but he sprang a surprise by praising Rahul Gandhi's work in Amethi.
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