Rahul is a fighter, says NCP's Sule on ECI notice

Pune, Nov 23 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a fighter and will give an 'honest and dignified' reply to the notice issued by the Election Commission of India in connection with certain remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule on Thursday.

The ECI issued a show-cause notice to Gandhi during the day for his 'panauti', 'pickpocket' and loan-waiver remarks targeting the PM and asked the Congress leader to respond by Saturday evening.

Speaking about Assembly polls underway in five states, Sule said December 3 was going to be a 'good day for the Congress and India'.

'He is a fighter and he will fight. I am confident he will put up a brave fight and will not be scared of anyone. I am sure he will give an honest and dignified answer to the EC's notice,' Sule, the working president of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, told reporters.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had approached the poll panel against Gandhi claiming it was 'unbecoming' of a senior leader to use such language.

Slamming the BJP, Sule said, 'We have so many examples of BJP talking about his family. So, now if he speaks something, why is there a need to feel bad. They (BJP) had even talked about his great grandfather.' In the notice, the ECI reminded Gandhi that the Model Code of Conduct prohibits leaders from making unverified allegations against political rivals.

Gandhi had used such words targeting the prime minister at recent rallies in poll-bound Rajasthan.

Talking about Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Sule said it is for the people of that state to decide which party should be leading them for the next five years.

'The Congress has worked extraordinarily in this campaign. They are very aggressive and very honest. December 3 will be a good day for the Congress and India,' the Lok Sabha MP from Baramati asserted.

The Congress and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP are part of the opposition bloc Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

On renowned actor Prakash Raj getting summons from Enforcement Directorate in connection with a probe into an alleged ponzi scheme, she claimed 'as per data, 95 per cent people who got ED notices are from the opposition'.

'It is the consistency of BJP that whoever speaks against them will get a notice,' she said sarcastically.

The ED has summoned Prakash Raj for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged Rs 100-crore ponzi and fraud case against Pranav Jewellers, a partnership firm based in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu.

Prakash Raj (58), a National Award-winning actor, has been a brand ambassador of this company. PTI SPK BNM BNM