'I don't want just one Nand Kumar Patel, I want 500 of them': Rahul Gandhi

Remembering the late Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, who was killed by Naxals, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he wanted to see 500 'Nand Kumar Patels' to remove the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the state.

"I don't want just one Nand Kumar Patel; I want 500 Nand Kumar Patels. And, I wont get them from Delhi, I want them from the crowd here, who will stand here and remove the BJP from the state. Only then, will your state progress," he said while addressing a rally here in Nand Kumar Patel's constituency.

He further said that Chhattisgarh is a rich state, but the people's money is being openly looted.

"When I first met Nand Kumar Patel I realized instantly that he was a people's man. He told me that his only aim was to make sure that people get their money back, and said that he wants to empower people here," he said.

"And the entire Chhattisgarh agreed that if there was one man who can bring a positive change in this state, it was Nandu Patel. Chhattisgarh has to remember his contributions, because that is how the state will be able to progress," he added.

Heavily armed Maoists had on May 25 ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in the state's Bastar district, killing 28 people including PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, Congress leader Mahendra Karma and ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar and injuring 37 others.

Maoists, who are considered to be India's greatest internal security threat, have of-late intensified their operations in many areas including Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh, which witnessed a voter turnout of 67 percent in its first phase on Monday, will go into its second phase of polls on November 19, for the remaining 72 constituencies.