Rahul not cut out for politics, Congress should give him 'decent retirement': Himanta Biswa Sarma

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is not cut out for politics and the party should give him a "decent retirement", Assam Finance Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said Wednesday. Riding on a massive Modi wave sweeping through most parts of India, the BJP was set to return to power as it led in over 300 seats while the Congress trailed far behind with about 50, according to trends released by the Election Commission for all 542 seats that went to polls.

"I must have met him (Rahul) around 20 times in my life...I feel pity for him. Sonia Gandhi (UPA chairperson and former Congress chief) has thrust him on the Congress. He is a person who has come from a privileged background, he doesn't respect his colleagues," Sarma said.

"He (Rahul) should be given a decent retirement because if he does not quit politics, then in India the next 25 years will be dominated by the ruling party (BJP) and there won't be any opposition, and there would only be BJP and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi," he said.

The minister said any elected Congress president minus a dynastic background will be good enough to lead the party better than Rahul Gandhi. Sarma attacked West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, saying her day are numbered in politics and the massive mandate for the BJP will lead to her downfall over the next few months.

"The days of Mamata Banerjee are now numbered and this massive win will lead to the ultimate fall of Mamata in the next 100 days," he said. If some seats have gone to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) it has been because of fear factor, rigging and criminalisation of politics, the Assam minister alleged.

West Bengal seems to be headed for a saffron surge, with the BJP leading in 19 seats and the ruling TMC ahead in 22 out of 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, as per latest trends. On the BJP doing well in the North East, he said Modi has done tremendous development in the region.

"He has brought a new era for the people of the North East. Today, every part of the North East is connected with Railways, internet and now, there is also air connectivity in every state (of the region)," Sarma said. He said the NDA will go on to win around 20 seats in the North East. In West bengal Banerjee-led TMC was leading on 22 seats.