'Modi Forgets Vajpyee, Nadda...': Congress Hits Back After PM's Dig At Sonia Gandhi Over Rajya Sabha Move

airam Ramesh hit back at PM Modi and named BJP leaders who have been and are members of the Rajya Sabha, saying that the PM seems to have "forgotten" about them.

In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent dig at the Gandhi family over no member contesting the Amethi Lok Sabha seat this year, following Congress' announcement of its candidates from Amethi and Raebareli seats on Thursday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh has hit back at PM Modi for his remarks on senior leader Sonia Gandhi becoming a Rajya Sabha member. Jairam Ramesh further named Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who have all been and are members of the Rajya Sabha, saying that the PM seems to have "forgotten" about them.

Hitting back at PM Modi for this, the Congress leader said that the "desperate and nervous Prime Minister has once again attacked Sonia Gandhi for becoming a Rajya Sabha member."

"He seems to have forgotten that Atal Behari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vijayaraje Scindia, Jaswant Singh, Sushma Swaraj, and Arun Jaitley were all members of the Rajya Sabha," the Congress general secretary said.

Naming some more recent leaders who are Rajya Sabha members including BJP national president JP Nadda, Jairam Ramesh added: "In more recent times, his own party president JP Nadda, who is from Himachal Pradesh, is also a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat. And of course the Swayambhu Chankaya was also a Member of the Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. What does he have to say about them?"

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh commented on Rahul Gandhi contesting Lok Sabha polls from 2 seats saying, "Didn't Narendra Modi contest from 2 seats? Didn't Sushma Swaraj contest from 2 seats? Didn't Atal Bihari Vajpayee contest from 2 seats? Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) has said that Amethi and Raebareli are traditional seats. So it is realistic for Rahul ji to fight from traditional seats."

PM Modi Criticises Sonia Gandhi Over Rajya Sabha Membership

PM Modi, during a rally in West Bengal's Bardhaman on Thursday took a jibe at Sonia Gandhi saying "Their tallest leader did not have the guts to fight the polls in Raebareli. She fled to Rajasthan and became a Rajya Sabha member."

The PM also hit out at Rahul Gandhi for not contesting the elections from Amethi and instead "fleeing to Raebareli to look for a way out as he was scared he would lose."

"I had predicted shehzaada [Rahul Gandhi] would lose Wayanad. That's why he was looking for a second seat. Their followers also said he would fight from Amethi. But he is so scared that he fled to Raebareli to look for a way out," PM Modi stated.