Fielding Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli a responsibility not just a legacy: Cong

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said it has taken a decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli after a lot of deliberation and strategy, and that the constituency is not just a legacy but also a responsibility.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it is a long election process and there are a few chess moves still left to play.

He also justified Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not contesting any election, saying she can reach Parliament by contesting any bypoll, but is currently taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to counter him on his alleged "lies" during campaigning.

"Many people have given different opinions on the news of Rahul Gandhi contesting elections from Rae Bareli. But he is a seasoned player of politics and chess. He makes his moves after careful consideration. The party leadership has taken this decision after a lot of deliberation and strategy," he said.

Ramesh claimed the decision to filed Rahul has devastated the BJP, its supporters and sycophants.

"The poor self-proclaimed Chanakya who used to talk about 'traditional seats' is not able to understand what to do now," he said.

The Congress leader said Rae Bareli has not only been Sonia Gandhi's seat but also Indira Gandhi's seat.

"This is not a legacy but a responsibility, a duty," he asserted.

He said as far as the Gandhi family's stronghold is concerned, not just Amethi-Rae Bareli, the entire country from north to south is the stronghold of the Gandhi family.

Rahul Gandhi, he said, has become an MP three times from Uttar Pradesh and once from Kerala, "but why couldn't Modiji muster the courage to contest elections below Vindhyachal".

"One more thing is clear that the Congress family is the family of expectations and aspirations of lakhs of workers. An ordinary worker of Congress is superior to the big ones. Yesterday, a prominent journalist was sarcastically saying to a worker of Amethi that 'when will your turn come to get a ticket'? Look, it has come! An ordinary worker of Congress will break both the illusion and arrogance of the BJP in Amethi," Ramesh said justifying fielding of Congress workers Kishori Lal Sharma.

"Priyanka ji is campaigning vigorously and is alone shutting up Narendra Modi by answering his every lie with the truth. That is why it was necessary that she should not be limited to her constituency only. Priyanka ji will reach Parliament by contesting any by-election," he said.

Ramesh said today Smriti Irani's only identity is that she contests elections from Amethi against Rahul Gandhi.

"Now Smriti Irani has lost that fame too. Now instead of making useless statements, she should answer about local development, the closed hospitals, steel plant and IIIT - that needs to be answered," he said.