Will never wish to finish BJP from India, but fight ideologically: Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said Monday night that he wants to fight the BJP’s ideology but would never wish to wipe out the party because it is an expression of the people of India.

He also said that the crushing defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha was an eye-opener for which he would like to thank the BJP.“Both the Congress and the BJP are expressions of people of India. And Indians respect such expressions. I subscribe to the ideology of the Congress. I will fight the BJP. But I will never wish to finish the BJP from India as it is expression of people of India,” Gandhi said during a dialogue session with professionals here.

The reference was to the BJP’s campaign for a `Congress Mukt Bharat’ (India without Congress) which the saffron party has been pursuing since 2014 to wipe out the grand old party from the country’s political arena.In his address to doctors, lawyers CAs and businessmen at Sayaji Hall here, Gandhi added, “I am thankful to the BJP because the defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha elections was greatest thing that happened to me. BJP had beaten me and abused me so much. It opened up my eyes.”

Gandhi began a three-day tour of Gujarat on Monday as part of second leg of Navsarjan Yatra in the poll bound state. On Tuesday, he is scheduled to travel to tribal district of Chhota Udepar after interacting with students in Vadodara, anaganwadi workers in Dabhoi and farmers along the route.