Lok Sabha elections 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday described Congress' Rahul Gandhi as a "big leader" and claimed that the country wants him to be the next prime minister. The remark came a day after the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc sounded a poll bugle at a rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park after the conclusion of Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Rahul Gandhi also addressed the rally.
Sanjay Raut about Rahul Gandhi
Addressing a press conference, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, "Rahul Gandhi is a prominent leader of the country. The country sees him as the next Prime Minister. Rahul Gandhi is a good person and a leader. People like him. We all stand with him."
Further speaking on the Shivaji Park rally, Raut said that the Opposition is fighting against unseen forces. "Yesterday, we organized a rally for the INDIA alliance. We are fighting against unseen forces. Rahul Gandhi was warmly welcomed during the event, which was organized by the Congress. Notable figures from the opposition graced the rally, making it a significant gathering. This rally marked the first collective assembly for our INDIA alliance since the election announcement."
Raut on electoral bonds
Raut asserted that the BJP is mired in corruption, noting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's past reference to the NCP as the "National Corrupt Party" in Maharashtra, a label that Raut now believes applies to the BJP. He accused the BJP of aligning itself with corrupt figures and fostering corruption within its ranks. He suggested that if BJP leaders were to introspect, they would find corruption staring back at them from the mirror.
The Supreme Court had scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordered disclosure by the EC of donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients.
Following a Supreme Court directive, the State Bank of India shared the data with the Election Commission on March 12 and made the data on electoral bonds public.
According to the data, the Bharatiya Janata Party received funding of over Rs 6060.5 crore via electoral bonds, the highest amount among all political parties, between April 12, 2019, and January 24, 2024. The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) received Rs 1,609.50 crore through this channel, making it the second-highest recipient, followed by the Congress with Rs 1,421.9 crore.
On PM Modi's rally
Raut remarked that it is commendable that Narendra Modi is no longer the Prime Minister once the election code of conduct is enforced. However, he expressed concern that Modi continues to utilize government resources for campaigning, even after the commencement of the code of conduct. Raut urged the Election Commission to take notice of this, emphasising that Modi's use of government aircraft for making announcements in the South could be viewed as a violation of the code of conduct. "The Prime Minister is using the government system to promote his party. This is not a violation of the code of conduct. The Election Commission should see this," he added.
On 7-phase elections
Commenting on the seven-phase elections, Raut said that it aligns with the system of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "The extensive campaigning efforts involving the presence of leaders like Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, as well as the logistics of organizing rallies and allocating funds, necessitate additional time. Therefore, the Election Commission has opted for a longer election phase to accommodate these requirements," he said.
Notably, the Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases beginning from April 19 and results will be announced on June 4, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday (March 16).
The other phases will be on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on April 19, and in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Elections to Odisha assembly will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Bypolls will also be held for 26 assembly constituencies, Kumar said at a press conference flanked by two new Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
