Delhi Election 2025: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of presiding over the “biggest liquor scam” in Delhi. Addressing a public rally in Patparganj ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, Rahul also targeted former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, calling him and Kejriwal the “architects of the liquor scam.”
Rahul urged voters to support Congress candidate Anil Chaudhary, alleging that Sisodia had “run away” from the Patparganj constituency after being embroiled in corruption. “Sisodia ji was the candidate here who is the architect of the liquor scam with Kejriwal ji who did the whole corruption. He has now fled in fear. Now make Anil win with a huge majority,” he remarked.
पटपड़गंज विधानसभा से पहले मनीष सिसोदिया जी कैंडिडेट थे, जो शराब घोटाले के आर्किटेक्ट थे।
वो पटपड़गंज से डरकर भाग गए, अच्छी बात है।
आप लोग अनिल चौधरी जी का पूरा समर्थन कीजिए, उन्हें भारी बहुमत से जिताइए।
: नेता विपक्ष श्री @RahulGandhi
📍 दिल्ली pic.twitter.com/pcYxoKvqR7
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 28, 2025
He further criticised Kejriwal, stating, “He started with the promise of a new kind of politics, but now he lives in a ‘sheesh mahal’ (glass palace).”
Referring to the February 2020 riots, Rahul accused Kejriwal of being absent during Delhi’s crises. “When the poor needed him, he was nowhere to be found,” he alleged.
He also recalled his eviction from his official residence, remarking, “I was thrown out of my house by Modi ji. I handed them the keys and said, ‘You can keep it.’ But Kejriwal ji stays in a ‘sheesh mahal’.”
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Delhi Election: Rahul Gandhi Attacks BJP, RSS Over Constitution
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also took aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of attempting to alter the Constitution under the guise of achieving “400 paar” (winning over 400 seats). He referred to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks, saying, “A few days ago, Mohan Bhagwat stated that India did not get true independence on August 15, 1947, but when Modi ji came. This means he insulted the Constitution and B.R. Ambedkar ji. If independence was not achieved on 15th August 1947, then what does this mean?”
Holding a copy of the Constitution, the Congress MP continued, “The fruit of freedom is our Constitution, and BJP leaders say we got independence when Modi ji came and the Ram temple was inaugurated. At the Ram temple inauguration, not one poor person was seen. Our tribal President was not allowed there. When Parliament was inaugurated, she was also not invited.”
Describing the current political climate as an ideological battle, Rahul asserted, “On one side, there are the BJP-RSS people who spread hatred, and on the other is Congress and its ideology. The best way to explain this is: ‘nafrat ke bazar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholni hai’ (we must spread love to counter hatred).”
He accused the RSS-BJP of instigating divisions among different communities. “They make brothers and people of different castes and religions fight against each other. And then there is Kejriwal, who came in a small car, climbed an electric pole, and promised a new kind of politics. But when the poor needed him, he disappeared,” Rahul alleged.
Criticising the media, he said it prioritised corporate interests over public concerns. “The media does not show people’s issues but is more interested in the Ambani wedding. The youth have no jobs, you cannot breathe in Delhi, but the media shows Modi ji’s face, the Ambani wedding, and Adani’s airports,” he said.
The former Congress president alleged that the BJP sought to create an India controlled by billionaires while the Constitution advocates equality. “The BJP wants to hand over the country’s resources to one billionaire and make people fight on religious and caste lines. Their intention is to take money from the hands of common people and give it to billionaires,” he charged.
Taking aim at industrialist Gautam Adani, Rahul alleged, “Adani ji is Modi’s friend. The crores of rupees in Adani ji’s company are controlled by Modi.” He further claimed that Dalits, tribals, and backward communities were largely absent among the owners of India’s 500 biggest companies and had minimal participation in budget allocations due to underrepresentation in key sectors.
He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the Congress’ demand for a caste census. “The Congress will ensure a nationwide caste census wherever our government comes to power,” he asserted. Rahul also reiterated the party’s pledge to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation.
The remarks come amid heightened political campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections, with Congress, BJP, and AAP vying for dominance in the national capital.