Congress to counter BJP’s OBC plank with Adani and 'loot' of public money

Since Thursday, senior Congress leaders have held a series of huddles to decide their political and legal strategy

The Congress believes that political messaging has become all-important now, after the ruling BJP shifted gears by raking up the OBC plank soon after Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case and his subsequent disqualification from Lok Sabha in "lightning" speed.

Since Thursday, senior leaders have held a series of huddles to decide their political and legal strategy, after a Surat court convicted their top leader for his remarks on 'Modis'.

While the Congress fired on all cylinders to make it clear that Rahul will not be silenced in his attack on the Narendra Modi government on a variety of issues, including the "Prime Minister's favourite" Adani Group, the BJP on Friday morning hurled the OBC bomb at its opponent, with party chief J P Nadda taking the lead.

Congress sources said the BJP had hit the tracks running on the OBC plank and the grand old party would seek to counter the narrative with evidence of how public money was looted. The BJP plan would not work, the sources said, adding that there was no caste angle to Rahul's comments.

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A senior leader claimed the Congress could successfully counter the BJP campaign by highlighting that Rahul did not insult the OBCs as he was only talking about those who fled with the common man's money.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge put in perspective the party's plank when he tweeted, "Modi government cannot run away from JPC. Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Mehul Choksi ran away with PNB and public money. The OBC class didn't run away, so how were they insulted? Your (Prime Minister's) “best friend” caused damage to SBI/LIC! One is cooperation in "theft". Then the use of caste politics! Shameful!"

Party’s Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore told DH, “Godse-wadi people are known to divide people on religion and caste. Now they have extended that to corruption too by bringing in caste when Rahul-ji talks about how the Prime Minister is helping his friends.”

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"Who helped them flee? Narendra Modi. Rahul attacked the fraudsters and the person who helped them. It was not an attack on the Modi community. We will also highlight the sequence of events that led to the conviction. This will be our plank," a senior leader said.

However, he added, it all depends on messaging and who commits the first mistake. Congress sources said the BJP might try to use it in Karnataka, as Rahul had made the remarks in Kolar, but it may not be possible for the saffron party to exploit it as the Congress has a number of tall OBC leaders.

The party is fielding its tall OBC leaders, including Chief Ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, as well as Siddaramaiah to counter the BJP onslaught.

Congress sources said Rahul's conviction and disqualification have angered and charged up the party's cadre and it would help in mobilising general public opinion. The party leaders have started highlighting the "lightning speed" with which the case got a new lease of life soon after Rahul made the Adani speech in Lok Sabha.