Varun Gandhi likely to join Congress? Rahul Gandhi’s response

Amid the speculations of his estranged cousin and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi joining the Congress party ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi on Friday denied having any information about it, reported news agency PTI. “I am not aware of any speculation over Varun Gandhi joining Congress,” Rahul Gandhi was quoted as saying by the agency.

Ever since Rahul Gandhi took over the reins of the Congress party as its president, there had been speculations that Varun Gandhi, who often praises policies of the previous UPA government, may join the Grand Old Party. The sources had, in the past, also said that Priyanka Gandhi may play the mediator and help crack a deal for her cousin. Now, with Priyanka Gandhi joining the active politics in the party, the speculations are once again on the rife.

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Sources close to the Varun Gandhi said that he is not getting his due share in the BJP. There have also been reports of rift between Varun Gandhi and the party after his name was not consdiered for the chief minister's post in Uttar Pradesh.

He has been critical of the Narendra Modi government's several decisions and this is considered as one fo the reasons the BJP has not given him any crucial role in the party. Also, Varun has praised Congress-led UPA government's schemes, including the MNREGA. It is to be noted that Modi has been a critic of the MNREGA scheme aimed at tackling the extreme poverty.

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Although it looks unlikley that he will join the Congres given the fact that his mother Maneka Gandhi is a minister in the Modi cabinet, but if he joins the Congress party, it will help the party in policaly crucial state Uttar Pradesh, where he enjoys a significant following in some districts.