Rahul, Kejriwal tussle over 'broken promises'

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at his INDIA bloc ally Arvind Kejriwal, using the example of the caste census and industrialist Gautam Adani to argue that there was no difference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Aam Aadmi Party chief.

- Paras Singh

At the Congress's first major poll rally in east Delhi's Seelampur, Gandhi said neither Modi nor Kejriwal spoke about the caste census, triggering a sharp response from the AAP chief.

"When I talk of caste census, neither Modi nor Kejriwal say a word because both want backward sections, Dalits, tribals and minorities to not get their due. Ask Kejriwal whether he is with the caste census. Ask Modi ji whether he is with the caste census," Gandhi said.

He said that billionaires such as "Ambani and Adani" bought the country and its resources while the poor were dying with hunger. "Adani and Ambani are doing the marketing for Narendra Modi. Have you ever heard Modi ji talking about them? Has Kejriwal ever spoken about them? He hasn't spoken a single word," Gandhi added.

Within the hour, Kejriwal hit back. "Today Rahul Gandhi ji came to Delhi. He abused me a lot. But I will not comment on his statements. His fight is to save Congress, my fight is to save the country," he said on X.

Gandhi's comments came amid rumblings within the Opposition coalition that has seen several members - such as the Samajwadi Party, the Trinamool Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) - back the AAP over the Congress in the past two weeks.