New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) “Politics runs deep in their blood, and they are devoted to protecting the secular fabric of the nation, prioritising it above winning or losing elections,” businessman Robert Vadra told IANS about the Gandhi siblings Rahul and Priyanka on Tuesday.

Robert Vadra’s remarks over Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi giving precedence to the nation over electoral losses is set to raise eyebrows and also invite counters from the BJP, given the high-pitched ‘vote chori’ campaign steered by the Congress-led Mahagathbandhan to mobilise public support in Bihar elections.

The Congress has been repeatedly targeting the Election Commission of India (ECI) and BJP accusing them of manipulating the electoral rolls and also voters’ ‘purge’ via the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a charge outrightly rejected by the latter.

In fact, the Congress and the grand alliance mounted an aggressive campaign around voter fraud in the run-up to Bihar elections.

Robert Vadra, speaking to IANS said, “Rahul and Priyanka were fighting to protect the spirit of democracy and poll wins and losses are of not much significance to them.”

“Rahul and Priyanka have learned from their ancestors. They have seen many victories and defeats. Wins and losses don’t affect them, their focus is the country’s progress and keeping India as a secular nation. Politics runs deep in their blood. Their love for the nation and people is unwavering,” he stated.

On questions of whether Rahul was ‘unfit’ for politics, his reply was direct, “Had the Congress party won, the same people would have said that Rahul Gandhi would be the next Prime Minister.”

Vadra also went on to claim that if Bihar elections were held again via ballot paper, the result would be completely opposite of what it is today.

Notably, the Bihar results have sent alarm bells ringing for the Congress as well as Mahagathbandhan over their crushing defeat.

The NDA crossed the 200-mark while the grand alliance witnessed a complete decimation and its numbers failed to cross the 35-mark in the 243-member Assembly.

–IANS

mr/rad