Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Manipur has faced problems for a long time, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the north-eastern state is not a big deal. Speaking to reporters at Keshod airport in Junagadh, Gujarat, Gandhi emphasised that the main issue confronting India today is vote chori (vote theft).
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that citizens across the country are raising slogans against electoral fraud. He referred to alleged election manipulation in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, insisting that these instances prove the seriousness of the problem.
Gandhi downplayed Modi’s visit to Manipur on September 13, which will be the Prime Minister’s first trip to the state since ethnic violence erupted there two years ago. During the visit, Modi is expected to meet internally displaced people in Churachandpur and the state capital, Imphal.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi proceeded to Junagadh city to address district and city unit presidents of the Congress and meet senior party leaders. The event is part of the Congress’ ongoing ‘Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan,’ aimed at strengthening the party organisation in BJP-ruled Gujarat. The training camp, inaugurated by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, runs from September 10 to 19.
Gandhi is expected to spend nearly three hours at the session, sharing guidance and interacting with local leaders before returning to Delhi. Through his remarks, the Congress leader stressed that ensuring free and fair elections remains a priority, asserting that the issue of vote theft overshadows political tours or visits by the Prime Minister.