Following yet another massive defeat for his party across the nation and in one of his own seats, at the Gandhi-family bastion of Amethi, at the hands of the BJP, Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed the media and accepted his defeat.
In a short press conference at the party HQ in Delhi, Rahul congratulated PM Modi and Smriti Irani for their victories. "Frankly, today it does not matter what I think. People of India have decided that Narendra Modi should be Prime Minister and I respect that," he said.
He further added that his fight with the BJP is an ideological one, and that it will continue. "I want to tell all Congress cadres and leaders, those who have won or lost, do not be scared. There is no need to be scared. We will continue this ideological fight and win," he said.
BJP supporters celebrate the party's lead during the counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections 2019, in Bengaluru, on Thursday, May 23, 2019. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)
When asked about the embarrassing defeat in Amethi, he said, "I respect the decision of the people of Amethi. I hope Smriti Irani will treat the people of Amethi with love and take care of them. This is a democracy and she has won."
"I had decided at the beginning of this campaign that whatever words are used against me, I will only react with love," he said.
At the time of publishing, BJP’s Smriti Irani was leading in Amethi by a margin of almost 36,000 votes. However, Rahul Gandhi was on his way to win Wayanad in Kerala by a massive margin, with a lead of more than 4 lakh votes at the time of publishing. The Congress party repeated its dismal performance in 2014, with the UPA coalition struggling to go past the 100-seat mark.