Rahul extends support to Mamata's mega opposition rally

On the eve of an Opposition mega rally in Kolkata, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday sent a message to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extending his support for her initiative.

“I extend my support to Mamata Di on this show of unity and hope that we send a powerful message of a united India together,” Rahul said in a letter to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata.

The Congress has deputed senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Abhishek Manu Singhvi for the rally hosted by the Trinamool which is seen as a show of strength by the Opposition before the April-May Lok Sabha elections.

“The entire Opposition is united in our belief that true nationalism and development can only be defended on the tested pillars of democracy, social justice and secularism, ideas that the BJP and Mr Modi are intent on destroying,” Rahul said in the letter.

The Congress president said across India, there are powerful forces afoot that are fanned by the anger and disappointment of hundreds of millions of Indians who have seen through the false promises and lies peddled by the Modi government.

“These forces are moved by the hope of a new tomorrow; a tomorrow filled with the idea of an India in which the voice of every man, woman and child will be heard and respected no matter what their religion, economic status or region,” he said.

Rahul said the Congress commend the great people of Bengal who have historically been at the forefront of defending our ideals.

The Trinamool chief is set to share the dais with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, chief ministers H D Kumaraswamy, Chandrababu Naidu and Arvind Kejriwal, former chief ministers Akhilesh Yadav and Omar Abdullah, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, NC patron Farooq Abdullah, Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP), M K Stalin (DMK), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Ajit Singh and Jayant Chaudhary (both RLD), former BJP leaders Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie, Gegong Apang, veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav, Hemant Soren (JMM), dissident BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, Gujarat leader Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani among others.