'Rahul Gandhi Should Become Prime Minister': Karnataka CM Even As Mamata, Kejriwal Pitch For Kharge

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah pitches Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to be the next prime minister despite his counterparts Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal in the I.N.D.I.A bloc supporting the name of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

During the Congress party's 139th foundation day event on Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should become the Prime Minister of the country, as per a PTI report. The Karnataka CM made this statement despite some constituents in the I.N.D.I.A bloc such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal having pitched for Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to become the Prime Ministerial face of the alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. More On It: 'Kharge For PM': Mamata Proposes Congress Chief's Name For Top Post At I.N.D.I.A Bloc Meet, AAP Seconds

"Only the Congress party has the strength to address problems of this country...for that, Rahul Gandhi should become the Prime Minister of the country," Siddaramaiah said, according to the PTI report.

While addressing an event in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah commended Rahul Gandhi for the Bharat Jodo Yatra and said that nobody had done something like that and now “he (Rahul Gandhi) is taking up a Bharat Jodo Yatra's second version - the Nyay Yatra.”

"Nobody in the country had done something like the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Now, he (Rahul Gandhi) is taking up the Bharat Jodo Yatra's second version - the Nyay Yatra. That's because not everyone has got justice in the country."

"Everyone in the country – backward classes, Dalits, minorities and women – should get justice, hence this Yatra is being undertaken by Rahul Gandhi," he added.

Siddaramaiah, addressing Congress workers, emphasised the importance of setting aside differences and uniting for the greater good of the country. He highlighted the need to protect the Constitution, uphold India's multiculturalism and sovereignty, and ensure justice for all. Siddaramaiah urged a collective effort to bring the Congress party back to power, regardless of whether someone like Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi assumes leadership, emphasising the significance of unity and the party's return to governance. Ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls too, Siddaramaiah had pitched for Rahul Gandhi as PM.

The Chief Minister remarked on the discourse around "soft Hindutva," clarifying that Hindutva is Hindutva, and he identifies as a Hindu. The CM highlighted the prevalent practices within Hinduism, citing examples of building Ram temples in villages, participating in Rama worship, and engaging in devotional singing (bhajans). 

"Hindutva is Hindutva. I'm an Hindu. Hindu and Hindutva are different...Haven't we built Ram temples in our villages? Don't we worship Rama and do bhajans? I too used to go for bhajans in our village...Aren't we Hindus? We are also Hindus”, the CM remarked, as per PTI.