Rahul Gandhi is 'man of the series', foundation laid for 2019: Sidhu

Hailing Rahul Gandhi as the "man of the series", senior Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu said Tuesday the party's good show in assembly polls in three states has laid the foundation for a "much bigger win" in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

The cricketer-turned-politician asserted, "All party members and workers played well as a team", resulting in this performance of the Congress, but alleged the imminent loss of the BJP has "exposed the mask of falsehood of the saffron party".

"The anger of the people has come out. Tall and false promises were made to them and those promises were not kept, whether on issue of farmers, housing for the poor or bringing back blackmoney stashed abroad or even skill development," Sidhu said.

The BJP, however, has defended its performance, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh saying the polls were fought on the basis of the work done by the state governments. He rejected the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Narendra Modi government.

Sidhu, the Punjab minister, joined Congress workers at AICC headquarters at 24, Akbar Road in Delhi in celebrating his party's performance. A festive atmosphere dawned at the party office as the results for assembly polls showed Congress taking a lead in the three states.

"Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the 'man of the match' and the 'man of the series'," Sidhu told PTI in an interview here.

The party workers inside and outside the All India Congress Committee headquarters were ecstatic, sensing victory in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. They distributed sweets and put up big banners of Gandhi on the walls of the Congress office and many chanted 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad'.

"This is a flood of public support (samarthan ka jansauilab hai) and people have created a foundation for Rahul Gandhi to become the next PM. This is also an indication of the change people seek and the resentment they have been harbouring for the BJP," Sidhu claimed.

Asked what went right in preparations for the polls and what would be the Congress's strategy for the Lok Sabha election, he said, "The party high command will decide that but obviously it will be a people-centric approach."
Asked, what he enjoyed more, cricket or politics, he said, "Politics, of course. It is very rewarding, and gives opportunity to change people's lives."