Aiyar's 'neech' remark ruined Rahul Gandhi's efforts in Gujarat, says Veerappa Moily

After missing the cut in Gujarat, senior Congress leader and former Petroleum Minister  has said that Mani Shankar Aiyar’s controversial “neech” remark against PM Modi may have undone the gains Rahul Gandhi during his aggressive campaigning in Gujarat elections.

Moily said, “Mani Shankar Aiyar should not have raised those issues against him (PM).

“Narendra Modi utilised that statement to hit at the Congress and also our leader. We should be very careful,” he added.

Aiyar had called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “neech aadmi” (vile man), who does “dirty politics”.

Moily also termed as "unnecessary" Kapil Sibal’s appeal in the Supreme Court seeking to defer hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi case till after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

"He (Sibal) should not have made such statements. He was not authorised to make such statements on behalf of the party," Moily said.

"It was not the party view, even then Narendra Modi utilised," the former chief minister of Karnataka Moily said.

"Sometimes whatever is done by Rahul Gandhi...our leadership, is undone by such statements," added Moily.

The BJP on Monday retained power in Gujarat, securing a simple majority by winning 99 seats in the 182-member Assembly.

The opposition Congress followed closely behind the long-ruling saffron party with 77 seats in the bitterly-fought election whose campaign saw repeated face-offs between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

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