Pathanamthitta: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Thursday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that after his defeat from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat in 2019, he does not have the courage to stand from there this time.
He was speaking at an election meeting in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency to garner support for BJP candidate Anil K Antony, son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony.

Singh said Gandhi, following his defeat, migrated to Kerala from Uttar Pradesh. "However, I have heard that the people of Wayanad have decided not to make him their MP," he claimed.

Singh also said that while various space programmes and projects were being launched in the country, "the launching of Congress' young leader has not happened for the last 20 years". "The Congress party's 'Rahulyaan' has neither been launched nor has it landed anywhere," he said, taking a dig at the Congress MP from Wayanad.

During his speech, Singh praised A K Antony and called him a disciplined and principled person whose honesty and integrity cannot be questioned. He said he was surprised on reading Antony's statement that Anil should lose in the Lok Sabha polls.

"I know he (A K Antony) is a principled person and I understand his compulsions. It is difficult for him to support Anil Antony. However, I would like to tell him that Anil is your son. You (A K Antony) may not vote for him (Anil) or canvass votes for him, but you are his father so I would like to request that your blessings should be with him," Singh said.

During his speech, the BJP leader also accused the Congress and the LDF of being untrustworthy, alleging that they pretend to fight each other in Kerala, while outside it they are campaigning together against the BJP.

He also alleged that Kerala was in bad shape due to the successive governments of the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF in the state and urged people to empower the BJP so that they "check" these two political fronts. Singh also attacked the LDF on the issue of Kerala's financial problems, saying that they were caused by the Left administration's mismanagement and claimed that this was acknowledged by the Supreme Court as well.

On Wednesday, during his poll rallies at Kasaragod, Vatakara and Kannur LS seats, he pointed out the above allegations. Singh also reiterated, what he said a day ago, that the BJP has delivered on its past poll promises, like implementing the CAA and abrogating Article 370, and therefore, it was the most credible and trustworthy party in the country.

He said that both the Left and the Congress were trying to create confusion in the minds of the people about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The senior BJP leader assured that no one's citizenship would be affected by the contentious legislation.

He also referred to the country's achievements in the space sector and the various upcoming projects like Ganganyaan -- India's first human spaceflight programme. Singh also lavished praise on Anil Antony and urged people to vote for him.

The Lok Sabha elections in Kerala will be held on April 26 and the results will be declared on June 4.