Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday attacked Rahul Gandhi over former Pakistan minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain’s praise for him in a post on X(formierly Twitter). Speaking at a rally, Irani also said Amethi now has a factory of AK 203 rifles, which are being used to neutralise Pakistani terrorists on the border.

The Union Minister added Chaudhry should be worrying about Pakistan and not Amethi. Irani said at the rally that until now she had been fighting a Congress leader, but now a Pakistani leader has said that Smriti Irani should be defeated. She took a dig at Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and said he is unable to handle Pakistan and is are worrying about Amethi.

Irani further added that if her voice reaches the leader of Pakistan, she wanted to tell him that this is the Amethi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set up a factory of the AK 203 rifles, which are being used to neutralize Pakistani terrorists on the border. The Union Minister pointed out that Rahul Gandhi has yet not condemned the former Pakistani minister’s social media post, and questioned his relationship with Pakistan.

Smriti Irani sharpened her attack on the Congress leader and said, chunaav chal raha hai desh me, samarthan mil raha hai aapko videsh me, which roughly means Elections are happening in the country, but you are garnering support from foreign soil.

Earlier in the month of May, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had shared a video featuring Rahul Gandhi, showing him targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the video, Gandhi could also be seen attacking the BJP government over the invitees at Ram Temple consecration ceremony.

On May 4, Chaudhary again praised Rahul Gandhi in an X post, this time, over his party’s promise of conducting a wealth redistribution survey, if it was voted to power. He even compared Rahul Gandhi with his great-grandfather and India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and said both were socialists.

National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday praised his old friend Rahul Gandhi and said that the Congress leader was giving a direct fight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections.

Abdullah while speaking to the media said Rahul Gandhi is putting the most spirited fights in the Lok Sabha elections. The former chief minister praised Gandhi for taking the fight directly to the Prime Minister and said this is the reason why the Prime Minister is relentlessly attacking him individually.

The National Conference leader said the belief that the more people see Rahul Gandhi, the less they will like what they see and the more they will gravitate towards PM Modi is not true at all. He said the Congress leader has very cleverly done away with all the tags BJP has sought to put on him.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said this election for the people of Jammu and Kashmir is a first in many respects. It is the first election for them as a Union Territory. He further added that it is the first time an election is taking place for them after the momentous events of August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was removed. He said this is the first instance when an election is being fought in Jammu and Kashmir after its status was changed from a state to a union territory.

Abdullah questioned why have the people of Jammu and Kashmir been deprived of democracy? Abdullah asked what was their crime? He said the status and relationship of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the Union has been altered without any consultation with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He also asked why have the people of Jammu and Kashmir been deprived of an elected government since 2018?

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP for allegedly creating a distressing atmosphere in the country and urged citizens to rally behind the Congress for a brighter future.

Gandhi posted a video message on X where she highlighted the widespread challenges the nation is facing and said, today in every corner of the country, youth are facing unemployment, women are facing atrocities, Dalits, tribals, backward classes and minorities are facing terrible discrimination.

The Congress leader added that the atmosphere is due to the intentions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused them of promoting hatred for political gain. Gandhi said that the Congress has always fought for the progress of all, justice for the deprived and to strengthen the country. She urged the voters to lend their support once again while highlighting the party’s manifesto, Nyay Patra, which pledges to uplift the impoverished, support farmers and labourers, empower youth and women and strengthen marginalised communities.

She said the Congress and INDIA alliance is dedicated to protecting the Constitution and democracy.  She appealed to the people of India to Vote for Congress for a bright future for all and so that together they can build a strong and united India. Her video message was shared on the social media handle of Congress on X at a time when voting for the 3rd phase of Lok Sabha elections is undergoing in 93 constituencies across 11 states and Uniion Territories.

The Congress party has asserted that this Lok Sabha election is for saving the Constitution and the rights of tribals, poor and backward. Earlier during the day, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he wanted to hand over Jal, Jungle, Jameen belonging to tribals to industrialists.