Rahul Gandhi accepts invitation for public debate with PM Narendra Modi; BJP reacts: ‘Who is he?’

Rahul Gandhi of the Congress on Saturday said he or party chief Mallikarjun Kharge would be pleased to participate in a public debate on the Lok Sabha elections and expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also accept the invitation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party swiftly countered, questioning whether Rahul Gandhi was the Congress’s prime ministerial candidate.

Rahul Gandhi shared on X (formally Twitter) his reply to justice (retd) Madan B Lokur, justice (retd), former chairman of the law commission of India Ajit P Shah and senior journalist N Ram, who had written to the Congress leader and the prime minister earlier this week, inviting them to a platform for a debate on the key election issues.

In their letter addressed to the country’s leaders, they had stated the proposal for the debate was non-partisan and in the broader interest of every citizen.

“It would be a positive initiative for the major parties to present their vision to the country from one platform for a healthy democracy,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post. He added that the nation expects Modi to participate in the debate.

Rahul Gandhi said he discussed the invitation with Mallikarjun Kharge and they agreed that such a debate would help people understand “our respective vision and enable them to make an informed choice”.

“It is also critical to put to rest any unsubstantiated allegations attributed to our respective parties. As the principal parties fighting the election, the public deserve to hear from their leaders directly,” Rahul Gandhi said in his letter replying to the invitation.

“Accordingly, either myself or the Congress president would be pleased to participate in such a debate,” he added.

The former Congress presidnt also said he looks forward to participating in a productive and historic debate. “Please do let us know if and when the prime minister agrees to participate, following which we can discuss the details and format of the debate,” he added.

BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi

Several BJP leaders, including Tejasvi Surya, reacted strongly to Rahul Gandhi’s letter saying the latter “isn’t even the PM candidate of the Congress Party, let alone the INDI Alliance”.

“Who is Rahul Gandhi, that PM Modi should debate with him? Rahul Gandhi isn’t even the PM candidate of the Congress Party, let alone the INDI Alliance. Let him first get himself declared as Congress’s PM candidate, state he will take accountability for his party’s defeat, and then invite PM for a debate. Until then, we are ready to depute our BJYM spokespersons to take him on in any debate,” BJP MP Tejasvi Surya posted on X.

Former Congress leader, who is a BJP national spokesperson now, Jaiveer Shergill also attacked Rahul Gandhi over the issue.

“Rahul Gandhi track record in Parliament: Attendance : 51% National Average : 79% No of Debates: 8 National Average: 46.7% No of Q’s raised: 99 National Average: 210

Running away from Parliament, Running away from Amethi, Running away from Accountability (leaving post of Party President & not becoming LoP) but still feeling “entitled” to debate PM @narendramodi? Debating with runaway hobby politicians is not worth Modi Ji’s time ! Clearly no one taught Rahul Gandhi the basic rule ‘first deserve then desire’, Jaiveer Shergill wrote on X.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya alleged that “desperate for relevance, after Arvind Kejriwal got interim bail, Rahul Gandhi has now punched above his weight”. “Debate is good. But why should anyone, let alone the sitting Prime Minister, debate Rahul Gandhi? He is neither the Congress President nor PM face of I.N.D.I Alliance. The Congress should stop using brand Modi to relaunch Rahul Gandhi,” he wrote on the social media platform.

Smriti Irani on Rahul Gandhi

Union minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani said, “First, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle, should refrain from boasting. Second, who wants to sit at level with PM Modi and have a debate, I want to ask him if he is a PM candidate of the INDI alliance.”

‘100% prepared’: Rahul Gandhi

At an event in Lucknow on Friday, answering a question from a member of the audience, Rahul Gandhi said he was “100 per cent” prepared to take on Narendra Modi in a debate and added that he knew the prime minister would not agree.