Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya on Sunday projected Rahul Gandhi as the Opposition’s face in next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Rajya Sabha MP said, “Rahul Gandhi is a courageous leader, who boldly called out the misdeeds of the Modi government. The BJP tried to harass him but the Supreme Court cleared him in the defamation case. A new political chapter will soon be scriped under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. I have no doubt that he will be the Opposition’s face in the general elections next year.”

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the veteran Congress leader said it was wrong for him to say that there was no development under Congress rule.

“PM Modi keeps saying that nothing was done in the last 70 years. This is totally unacceptable. When PM Modi came from Gujarat to Delhi, did he make the journey on a bullock cart? When the Congress took the administrative reins of the country, it was in bad shape. It was the Congress, which took people into people into confidence about their plans to rebuild the country. So, for the PM to now say that nothing was done during the Congress rule is absolutely wrong,” Bhattacharya said.

Ahead of the introduction of the Delhi Services Bill in the Rajya Sabha for discussion and passage on Monday, the Congress MP said his party would oppose the draft law to replace the Centre’s Ordinance on the control of Services in the national capital.

On the Congress’s decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building earlier, Bhattacharya said, “It should have been done by the President. Why did the PM have to inaugurate the (new Parliament) building? It was very unfortunate. The PM has resorted to playing negative politics. Negative politics cannot bring electoral dividends to the BJP. Why did he (PM) not form Joint Parliamentary Committee on Rafale (fighter jet) deal. He is needlessly abusing the Opposition. The more he tries to abuse us, the more he will lose.”

Seeming to echo the Trinamool Congress’ pet grouse against the Centre, the Congress leader said, “West Bengal should get its share of central funds and a proper account should be kept for all the expenses incurred.”

Significantly, the Congress and the TMC, are partners in the Opposition bloc — I.N.D.I.A — along with other parties.