"Rahul Gandhi talks about democracy but forgets that...": Uma Bharti launches sharp attack on Congress

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 7 : In a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti said that he talks about democracy in the country but forgets that his party declared an emergency.
"Rahulji talks about democracy; though he has forgotten that his party declared an emergency in the country. He talks about division based on religion, forgetting what his party did with the Sikhs," Bharti said while addressing the media in Bhopal.
She further said that the grand old party has lost its 'status' to talk about democracy.
"The Congress has lost its status to talk about democracy. If the opposition is weak today, it is because of its 'Karma'. Mamata Banerjee (Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister) has broken all limits of appeasement," Uma Bharti said.
"Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party Chief) is carrying a package of appeasement and corruption. Who else is there in the race? The situation is such that the country has to believe in Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi)," she added.
Heaping praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharti said, "Modiji has a divine personality. He is older than I am but works hard all day and night. Therefore, he is a gift to the country."
The veteran BJP leader also announced to opt out of the coming Lok Sabha polls, stating that she would focus on the rejuvenation of the Ganga River.
"If I contest the Lok Sabha elections, then the responsibility of my constituency and the work for the river Ganga cannot be done together. I want complete independence for two years to complete work related to Ganga. There is no dispute over Ganga regarding caste, community, or political parties. The whole plan is ready, all the permissions have been received, and only the speed has slowed down... PM Modi is also dedicated to Ganga," she said, adding that she would attend poll campaigns if required.
"I will participate in the campaign if needed but I will not contest the elections. We want BJP to win more than 400 seats... Earlier, I had declared that I would stand in the elections but now nothing matters to me more than River Ganga," said the BJP leader.
Bharti held the Jhansi constituency from 2014 to 2019, which is currently being represented by BJP's Anurag Sharma.
The party, meanwhile, is yet to declare its candidate from the Jhansi constituency. Out of 29, the BJP, in its first list, declared 24 candidates from Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, in the Lok Sabha polls, the party bagged 28 seats, except for Chhindwara, which is currently held by Congress's Nakul Nath.
The first list of candidates includes 34 ministers from both the Union and state, along with the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The announced names included those for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal and five in Delhi.
Eight women and 47 young leaders feature in the party's first list of candidates for 16 States and Union Territories, including 57 candidates from Other Backward Classes (OBC), 27 from Scheduled Castes (SC) and 17 from Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will fight again from Kota in Rajasthan and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya from Porbandar.
However, other Union Ministers whose names have been announced by the BJP in the first list of candidates include Rajnath Singh, Mansukh Mandaviya, Jitendra Singh, Sarbananda Sonowal, Gajendra Shekhawat, Bhupender Yadav, G Kishan Reddy, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Arjun Munda.
The BJP has re-nominated Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from the Lucknow constituency and Union Minister Smriti Irani for Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The party has also chosen to field actor-politician Hema Malini, MoS Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, Mahesh Sharma, SPS Baghel, and Sakshi Maharaj once again in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from UP.
Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the Congress behind at 52 seats. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year.