Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav joined hands in a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi, campaigning in support of I.N.D.I.A bloc candidate Pradeep Jain from the constituency on Tuesday. Both the leaders launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party. Addressing the gathering, Yadav focused on the 'dwindling' fortunes of the BJP, while Gandhi continued his 'to safeguard Constitution' charge against the saffron party.
Yadav, addressing the joint rally, said, "Four phases of elections are over and BJP's graph is falling. The people of Jhansi are preparing for BJP's 'vidai ki jhanki'. Those who were talking about doubling farmers' incomes, under their govt farmers are now in trouble".
Echoing similar sentiments, Gandhi said, "This fight, this election is to save the Constitution...without this (Constitution) poor people of India won't belong anywhere."
"The day this (Constitution) is gone, your land rights, reservation, public sector everything will be gone. I.N.D.I.A bloc, Akhilesh Yadav, Kharge and I are protecting this Constitution...," Gandhi said further.
In their joint effort to rally support, Gandhi said, "There will be a revolutionary work, no government in the world has ever done it. They (BJP) are making 22 billionaires, we are going to make crores of millionaires. A woman's name will be selected from each family and Rs one lakh per year will be transferred in bank accounts of crores of woman."
He further said, "Usually Barbary lions are found alone in the jungle, But here thousands of lions of INDIA alliance are sitting together".
Praising Congress and reflecting on past initiatives, Yadav said, "Whenever I come to Jhansi, I remember the Sainik School. When the Congress government was in power, there was a SP government in UP. At that time Rahul ji said that we needed a Sainik School for Amethi. Then I said that one Sainik School will not suffice in Uttar Pradesh, you will have to provide more Sainik Schools. After which Congress gave three military schools to Uttar Pradesh".
The rally held today aimed to galvanise support for Jai, who had previously won the Jhansi Lok Sabha seat in 2009. Jain's candidature is seen as pivotal in countering the incumbent BJP's influence in the region.
The electoral contest in Jhansi has intensified with the entry of new candidates, notably, Ravi Prakash Kushwaha from the BSP, making it a triangular contest.