Congress' Lok Sabha member Imran Masood on Tuesday strongly batted for party general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate, drawing a comparison between her and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Masood made the remarks while responding to criticism from the BJP targeting Priyanka Gandhi for allegedly not speaking out strongly enough against violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
He said Priyanka Gandhi possessed the same resolve and capacity to counter anti-India narratives in the South Asian nation as her grandmother Indira Gandhi had demonstrated in her handling of Pakistan.
Speaking to IANS, Masood said, "Priyanka Gandhi had raised her voice foremost last time when violence took place in Bangladesh. Make Priyanka Gandhi the Prime Minister first, and then see how she responds, just like Indira Gandhi. Just like Indira Gandhi broke Pakistan into two places, Priyanka Gandhi will carry out such a treatment that the country (Bangladesh) would not be able to become a hub of anti-India narratives."
When asked about the role Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi would play if Priyanka Gandhi were to become Prime Minister, Masood offered an indirect response, stressing the ideological and political unity between the siblings.
"Rahul Gandhi will also do the same thing; Rahul and Priyanka are not different, they are like two eyes of one face. They are the grandchildren of Indira Gandhi. You can't see them differently," he added.
The Congress has traditionally projected Rahul Gandhi as its principal face for the Prime Minister's post, and Masood's remarks come amid ongoing political debate over leadership and strategy within the opposition.
Earlier, in the absence of her brother, who is currently in Germany attending an event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress, Priyanka Gandhi, a first-time MP, assumed a leading role for the party in the Lok Sabha.
She quickly made her presence felt, with her sharp attack on the government during the Vande Mataram debate gaining widespread attention and going viral.
As opposition parties staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha to protest against the VB-G RAM G Bill, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi was seen at the forefront of the demonstration.
Holding a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, she led the march within the Parliament premises, raising slogans opposing the Bill.
Despite Rahul Gandhi's absence from Parliament, Congress drew significant attention for its aggressive protest against the legislation, both inside Parliament and outside, with Priyanka Gandhi emerging as a prominent face of the party's resistance during the proceedings.
(With inputs from IANS)
