Rahul Gandhi issues 'weather report' for Gujarat, forecasts 'jumlon ki baarish'

Hours ahead of PM Modi’s public address in Gujarat, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted a “weather report”, saying there will be a rain of jumla (hollow promises) in the poll-bound state. Gandhi’s jibe at the prime minister came even as Congress activists led by Delhi PCC chief Ajay Maken staged a protest outside the Election Commission office for “delay” in announcing election date for Gujarat.

“Weather report: Ahead of elections, Gujarat will today have rain of hollow promises (“jumlon ki bearish”),” Gandhi tweeted in Hindi, while tagging a media report headlined ‘As Gujarat waits for poll date, state gets projects worth nearly Rs 12,500 crore’. Gandhi’s tweet came at a time when there were considerable speculation about the PM making big announcements for Gujarat during his public address.

After staging a protest, Congress also submitted a memorandum to EC, detailing how elections were announced simultaneously both in Gujarat and Himachal in 2007 and 2008. The memo also pointed out how EC earlier this year had announced simultaneously election schedule for UP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur, despite a difference of two months in the expiry of term of the assemblies of the last three states compared to UP and Uttarakhand.


Reminding EC that announcement of pre-poll sops in Gujarat would lead to controversy, Congress petition said the onus was on EC to ensure fair practices.