In a reply to the prevalent criticism over the Congress presidential election candidates being lackeys of the Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday  said it is insulting to both–Mallikarjun Kharge and Shashi Tharoor.

“First of all there is an election taking place (and) I don’t want to give an opinion on this position. Both candidates are people of stature and standing. Frankly, I think such claims are insulting to both of them,” the Congress leader said in his maiden remark on the election since its nomination process was over.

Rahul announced that whoever is elected as the party’s new president, will have a free hand in taking decisions and running the party. 

On the question over Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s welcoming investment by Gautam Adani, who the Congress claims as a close ally of PM,  Rahul said party’s agenda “was against monopoly and not investment”. 

“Mr Adani has a proposal to invest Rs 60,000 crore in Rajasthan. No CM can refuse such an offer,” he told reporters at a news conference.

“I am not against business or corporates. I am against full monopolisation of Indian businesses. Today BJP has helped a few people to hold complete monopoly of all business. If a political system ventures to help two or three people, it will destroy the country. My contention is against the misuse of political power to favour a few,” Gandhi asserted.

Rahul also cleared his stance about the community of the person spreading hatred. “My view is that it doesn’t matter who the person spreading hatred is, it doesn’t matter which community they come from, spreading hatred and violence is an anti-national act and we’ll fight against such people,” highlighted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

Giving major consideration to the ideas of integrity and unity in the country he said,” Our constitution states: Bharat is a union of states. It means all our languages, states and traditions have an equally important space. That is the nature of our country.”

Taking a jibe at the opposition, the Wayanad MP said, “I have always stood for a certain idea that disturbs the BJP and RSS. Thousands of crores of media money and energy have been spent to shape me in a way which is untruthful and wrong. That will continue as that machine is financially rich and well-oiled.”

This was Rahul’s third press interaction during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. The march will enter Andhra Pradesh for three days from October 18 and cover a distance of 95 kilometres in that state. It will return to Karnataka’s Raichur. Meanwhile, the Congress presidential election is slated for October 17 and the results will be announced on October 19. Gandhi and other congress members, who are part of the yatra will cast their vote from a polling booth set up at a campsite at Ballari in Karnataka.