LS polls: Priyanka reacts to Modi's ‘Ambani-Adani’ attack on Rahul

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark questioning the absence of Rahul Gandhi's criticism of industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani since the commencement of elections, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the national general-secretary of the Congress party, responded by saying that Rahul Gandhi addresses these issues daily.

The Congress also retaliated against Modi, asserting, "We will persist in posing the question."

Priyanka, who has been campaigning in Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh for the last two days and is expected to stay in both constituencies until polling day on 20 May, also accused the Modi government of prioritising loan waivers amounting to Rs 16 lakh crore for billionaires, while farmers in Uttar Pradesh were in such dire circumstances that many were being driven to suicide.

“Today, Narendra Modi said Rahul Gandhi is not taking Adani's name. The truth is this — Rahul Gandhi talks about Adani every day, he exposes the truth about Adani in front of you every day,” Priyanka said.

The Congress leader emphasised that Rahul informs the public about the alleged "nexus" between the prime minister and prominent industrialists on a daily basis.

"Rahul Gandhi tells you daily that Narendra Modi has a nexus with big industrialists. Narendra Modi waived off Rs 16 lakh crore of his friends but did not waive off a single rupee of farmers. Narendra Modi should answer this," she said. "Narendra Modi has handed over the big companies which provided employment to the people to a few capitalists."

In response to Rahul's frequent accusations of 'crony capitalism' against his government, PM Modi on Wednesday questioned why Rahul has refrained from mentioning the names of Adani and Ambani since the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.

"Ever since elections have been announced, these people (Congress) have stopped abusing Ambani-Adani. I want to ask from Telangana soil, let the shehzada (prince, a term Modi has been using to describe Rahul in a dig at his status as Gandhi family scion) announce, how much has been lifted from Ambani-Adani? Have tempo (small truck)-loads of notes (currency) reached the Congress? What deal has been arrived at, that abusing Ambani-Adani has stopped overnight?" he asked.

The PM further added: “Certainly something is fishy. For five years, (they) abused Adani-Ambani and it stopped overnight. It means you have received some tempo loads of chori ka maal (stolen goods). You have to answer the nation.”