Lucknow: Rahul Gandhi targets PM Narendra Modi, says Congress can't remain weak in Uttar Pradesh

"Congress cannot remain weak in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, to make the Congress stand on its feet, I have entrusted the job to Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia here," Gandhi told his party workers in Lucknow.

He said it is the duty of the party workers to ensure that Congress for the government in the state.

"The Congress party must form the government in UP," he said.

Attacking Modi on numerous issues including the Rafale deal, he said: "Uttar Pradesh has witnessed what Narendra Modi did for the last 5 years in the country. Youth are saying that @narendramodi failed his promise to provide employment and benefited only people like Anil Ambani."

Gandhi also chanted 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan to target the PM during his speech.

The state is crucial politically as Modi is an MP from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi city while Rahul Gandhi represents Amethi.

Priyanka Gandhi, who recently entered active politics, participated in a roadshow with her brother Rahul Gandhi in Lucknow on Monday.

This is her first visit to the state after formally joining politics around two weeks ago.

Priyanka Gandhi is the Congress party's general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Rahul targets Modi on Rafale on Twitter:

Taking a jibe at Narendra Modi over The Hindu's latest report claiming India had made concessions to France in the Rafale deal (buying of 36 fighter jets from France by India), Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the Prime Minister allowed businessman Anil Ambani to steal Rs. 30,000 crore in the deal.

Rahul, who will kick-start his party's campaign trail in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, tweeted, "NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF."

Days before the signing of the deal, as the newspaper reported, India dropped provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account.

The latest report came days after The Hindu furnished a document to claim that the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) held parallel parleys with the French government prompting the Defence Ministry to object to the separate talks.

The Hindu said it has an access to the documents which reveal the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which was chaired by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, "ratified and approved" several changes in the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), supply protocols, offset contracts and offset schedules.

“Non-inclusion of the Standard DPP Clauses related to ‘Penalty for Undue Influence,’ ‘Agents/Agency Commission’ and ‘Access to Company Accounts’ in the Supply Protocols" is the most important change which has been made, the newspaper stated.

How Anil Ambani is linked?

The Congress had claimed that the central government caused a loss of over Rs. 41000 to the exchequer in connection with the Rafale deal.

The party accused the Centre of endangering the national security by bypassing the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) in favour of some businessman "friends" for offset contract in the controversial Rafale deal.

Last week after the release of The Hindu's first Rafale report, Rahul said it is clearly evident that the Prime Minister himself was involved in the defence deal so that it benefits industrialist Anil Ambani. 

Image Credit: Congress Twitter page