BJP used money to steal people's mandate in Goa and Manipur: Rahul Gandhi

He said the Congress' performance in the assembly polls was not bad

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP of using money to "steal the mandate" in Manipur and Goa following the party's bid to form governments in both the states despite being the runner-up.

Breaking his silence after the Congress' drubbing in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand assembly polls, Gandhi also said his party needed structural and organisational changes.

"We have an ideological fight with the Bharatiya Janata Party and we will continue to do that. What BJP has done in Manipur and Goa, is basically what their ideology is and which is what we are fighting," Gandhi told the media.

 

Asked to comment on allegations that the Congress' central leadership did not act soon enough in Goa, Gandhi replied: "It's not a question of soon enough, it's a question of how much money the BJP has thrown to steal the mandate in Manipur and Goa. That's the question."

Gandhi said the Congress' performance in the assembly polls was not bad.

"We are in the opposition, you have ups and downs. We had a little down in Uttar Pradesh, that's fine we accept it.

"We had five elections, we formed the government in Punjab and won in Manipur and Goa. That is not a bad result. It is true that we lost in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"But as far Congress is concerned we do need to make structural, organisational changes," added Gandhi.