At HTLS, Piyush Goyal's ‘no guts’ dig at Rahul Gandhi over 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

Rahul Gandhi has no guts to come to poll-bound Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat to campaign for his party, Union minister Piyush Goyal took a dig at the Congress leader on the final day of the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit (HTLS) 2022 on Saturday.

“There are assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and one leader is holding Bharat Jodo Yatra in Tamil Nadu and Telangana. He has no guts to campaign in these states because he knows there is no chance of the Congress there,” the Union minister of commerce and industry said on a day the people of Himachal Pradesh are casting their votes for the assembly poll.

On asked about the trend of voting out the ruling government in the hill state, Goyal cited the example of Uttarakhand. “You saw what happened in Uttarakhand in the assembly election. People have understood the value of an honest government and a pro-incumbency government. So, this time, you will see a repeat in Himachal Pradesh as well,” the minister claimed.

On challenges from the new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat, Goyal said, “One party can't dominate in the country. We welcome all parties. We want other parties to contest against the BJP… The AAP is trying to fill the opposition's vacuum created by the Congress… In Uttar Pradesh, the media had hyped the grand alliance, you saw what happened there.”

Goyal also predicted that the BJP will win more than 150 seats in the 182-member Gujarat assembly election to be held next month.

Responding to a question on the reshuffle in Gujarat cabinet months before poll, the Union minister said, “It is a party's decision and people of India hails such decision that it is a disciplined party. Responsibilities keep changing from time to time.”