Congress president Rahul Gandhi has conceded defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but said that he will continue his ideological fight against the BJP.
At a press conference in New Delhi, the 48-year-old Congress chief accepted the public’s verdict, reports The Statesman.
He said: “People have given their decision. The malik [lords] have given the order. I congratulate BJP and Narendra Modi-ji.”
Thanking Congress workers, Gandhi said that the fight between the Congress and the BJP is of ideology.
He added: “I thank workers of the Congress. Our fight is of ideology – two different thoughts. We have to admit that Modi and BJP have won this election. I congratulate them. I want to tell the Congress workers not to worry.”
#ResultsWithRajatSharma | Rahul Gandhi concedes defeat, congratulates PM Modi and BJP on massive mandate
— India TV (@indiatvnews) May 23, 2019
Watch Live TV: https://t.co/X9c4gFhreA
Live Updates: https://t.co/7YNQsn37YJ
Election Updates : https://t.co/k9gVfRXNnu pic.twitter.com/7oR3VqGc9p
The Congress chief did not respond to questions about what went wrong for his party.
He said: “Today is the date of the mandate and I do not want to go into the details of what went wrong."
“It was a long campaign. I kept a line: you can abuse me, I will respond with love. Whatever happens I will respond with love,” he added.
https://t.co/hIJHKdaJup
— RITURAJ SINHA (@SINHA_RITURAJ) May 23, 2019
That's how a good leader should accept his/her defeat. You have also given your best efforts during whole election campaign. Huge respect for your efforts. Well done Raga ! @RahulGandhi
When asked about determining responsibility for the loss, Rahul Gandhi said: “This is between my party and I. Between me and the Congress CWC.”
#VerdictWithTimes: 'Janta maalik hai' and today people have clearly given their decision. I congratulate PM @narendramodi and @BJP4India," says @INCIndia president @RahulGandhi https://t.co/OGwt7qyRtW
— Mumbai Mirror (@MumbaiMirror) May 23, 2019
When asked to comment on his impending defeat in Amethi, a Gandhi-family bastion—at the hands of BJP candidate and Union minister Smriti Irani—Gandhi simply congratulated the BJP leader and said that he hopes she works for the people with “love.”
Gandhi remarked: “I will say that people have given their verdict in Amethi. I congratulate Smriti Irani. And I want her to take care of Amethi with love."
There were reports that Gandhi had offered to resign as president of his party. However, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called the reports incorrect.
Conceding defeat, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said his party will continue to fight the ideological battle with the saffron party.https://t.co/XHHYrWxpft #ElectionResults2019#May23WithBTVI#542onMay23
— BTVI Live (@BTVI) May 23, 2019
At the time of writing, Rahul Gandhi was trailing behind Irani in Amethi by 38,449 votes. However, he is set to return to Parliament as an MP with a record victory in Kerala’s Wayanad, where he was leading by a margin of 431,195 votes ahead of CPI’s PP Suneer.
The NDA is set to form a government with a clear majority.
