Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said former Congress president Rahul Gandhi lacks political experience and is not even worth a "matchstick" in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In an interview to PTI on Tuesday night, Yadav slammed Gandhi and RJD chief Lalu Prasad over their claims that the Modi government would be ousted after the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and said there was no bigger joke than this.
He also said Wayanad MP Gandhi was dreaming of becoming prime minister but lacked the courage to contest from their stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Asked if Rahul Gandhi, like his grandmother late Indira Gandhi, should have gained some experience of governance, Yadav said, "He neither had the experience of a minister nor party president (before he held the post) and not even of politics. The way he talks...even the opposition should have some level, especially before a personality (referring to Modi). He (Gandhi) is not even a lamp before the sun."
"His (Gandhi's) strength is not even worth a matchbox stick but he wants to show himself as light of the sun...so it is like daydreaming and no one can stop him from doing so," Yadav said.
The BJP leader said Rahul Gandhi was proved wrong twice, apparently referring to the Congress' debacle in the 2014 and 2019 polls.
"On the contrary, Modiji said before 2014 that he will form government with absolute majority as people are blessing him and it happened," he said.
It was for the first time in 60 years that a non-Congress majority government came to power in the country, he said.
"Second time also, the BJP leadership set the target of 300 (seats) and it happened. This time, the target is 400 and it is already visible as only one phase (of general election) is left now," Yadav said.
He said PM Modi is putting things before people with humility.
"People are watching them (opposition). Now even leaders from Pakistan are supporting them. I myself and Modiji have not taken the name of Pakistan even once during several interviews, but see their (opposition's) seriousness," he said.
People of the country want to make "an India of 21st century". They want to take the nation forward as it is not possible for them (opposition) to do it, he said.
Further targeting Rahul Gandhi, Yadav said, "The kind of low-level language he is using against Modiji, people of the country have already given him a befitting reply in six phases and the same will be reflected in the last phase also on June 1."
On Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad claiming the BJP-led government will be ousted on June 4, the vote counting day, Yadav said, "I don't consider a bigger joke than this. Just see who is saying this. You mentioned Rahul Gandhi...before 2014, they were in power with more than 235 MPs of their own. But under his leadership it was reduced to 115, which was an impossible thing at that time."
They used terms like "Maut ka Saudagar" for PM Modi, but people defeated their government and their seats were reduced to 115, he said.
In 2019, they used filthier language and were reduced to the "size of a 52-seater bus" from 115, Yadav remarked.
The CM also said Rahul Gandhi "ran away" from Amethi (Lok Sabha contest) in 2024.
"You have your own two seats- Amethi and Rae Bareli. You are dreaming of becoming prime minister, but you don't have the courage. Your mother (Sonia Gandhi) also lacked the courage to contest. First, you declined to contest (from Amethi) and later, your mother also refused to fight (from Rae Bareli)," he said.
"So what message are you giving to your partymen?" Yadav asked.
Rae Bareli was won by Congress, he noted, adding that Gandhi has now "run away" from Wayanad and coming back (to contest from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi).
"Neither you are contesting from Amethi, nor you are able to field your sister (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) from there. Instead, you are contesting from Rae Bareli, which means they are very much afraid from inside and they are not saying but it is their fear which is coming out (in their speeches)," he said.
Targeting Lalu Prasad, the CM said the RJD chief is unable to talk about any other (state) and in Bihar also, he is unable to contest a single seat because of his track record.
Asked if he considers Rahul Gandhi a mature leader, Yadav said "Not just me but the entire country doesn't consider him (mature). How can a person rectify mistakes of former PMs like Indira, Nehru, his mother and father (Rajiv Gandhi)." Noting Rahul Gandhi's claim that he will remove poverty "khatakat-khatakat', Yadav said, "It is not a filmy dialogue. It will not work and one has to use little intelligence and talk about things with proper understanding."
It is unfortunate that Congress is paying the price for it as its leadership lacks an understanding of all these issues, he remarked.
"He (Rahul) is fulfilling the dream of Mahatma Gandhi who advocated for dissolving the Congress post-Independence in 1947, which Nehru did not listen to. But he (Rahul) is heeding to it and finishing Congress," the CM added.
