Published 19:36 IST, March 16th 2020
Rehman Malik not the first, here’s how Pakistan campaigns for Rahul Gandhi before every election
In the past, Pakistan on many occasions has come out in support of Congress and Rahul Gandhi ahead of elections
Congress, in their quest to dethrone BJP-led NDA in 2019 assembly elections, has been trying hard to get all the opposition parties together and form a 'Mahagathbandhan', an association aiming to end the Modi-juggernaut, which has grappled India since 2014.
While the 'Mahagathbandhan' seems to be in hot water, with one after another roadblock, support, that too very strong, has come from Pakistan. In the past couple of days, many Pakistani leaders have openly backed the Congress President to dethrone Narendra Modi and become the next Prime Minister of India.
On Saturday, it was the present Information and Broadcasting minister of Pakistan, Fawad Hussain, who referred to two tweets from Rahul while attacking the BJP government. And two days later, former Interior minister Rehman Malik followed suit, that too in the most vocal manner as possible.
The ex-Pakistan minister put out a series of tweets, wherein he lavished praise on the Congress supremo for exposing BJP on Rafale deal, as well as declaring him as the next PM of India by dethroning Modi.
All these comments lobbying for Rahul comes a few months before the general elections will be held in India. And it isn't much of a surprise, given similar kind of support was shown by Pakistan towards Congress even in the past.
Karnataka elections 2018
Prior to the Karnata elections earlier this year, Pakistan raked controversy by commemorating Tipu Sultan on his 219th death anniversary by posting a video on this occasion. In 2015, Congress had celebrated Tipu Sultan's birth anniversary and had described him as a freedom fighter. Connecting the two events, BJP alleged that Congress may have influenced Pakistan's government into issuing the tweets.
Gujarat elections 2017
Before Karnataka, an accusation of former PM Manmohan Singh meeting former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri ahead of the Gujarat elections was leveled against the Congress party. It was alleged that some leaders from Congress had met with Pakistani leaders to discuss the plans for the elections. The BJP further claimed that the 'neech' comment by controversial Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar came after the meeting.
General elections 2014
After Congress won the previous two elections, the 2014 poll was set to be a Rahul vs Modi battle. But in one of the most one-sided elections in the recent times, and incumbent Congress was blown over by Modi's BJP. Though, prior to the polls, Congress had received moral support from Pakistan.
Many from the neighboring country were completely against Modi becoming PM, claiming he is against Muslims. An anti-Modi wave was not only visible amongst Congress and their allies, but also in Pakistan.
Updated 19:36 IST, March 16th 2020