"INDIA Alliance Is Successful, Will Win Elections Also": Congress leader Ashok Gehlot

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that the INDIA alliance is successful and exuded confidence that they will win the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

"The situation is very critical, there is tension everywhere. Independent agencies like ED, CBI and I-T have been damaged, the whole nation knows this. Democracy is being murdered and law and order are crumbling. Today everyone is sharing one stage, they (BJP) thought that the alliance wouldn't succeed. INDIA alliance is successful and we will win the elections also," Gehlot said.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, M K Stalin, Uddhav Thackrey, Priyanka Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and several others, posed together, showcasing the 'unity' in the alliance, at the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Sunday evening.

Ahead of this, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders of the INDIA alliance paid floral tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Speaking at the rally, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said, "We have entered politics to work for people...Rahul Gandhi has visited all over India to understand the heart of India. It is a journey to restore India that is destroyed by BJP."

National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah, while addressing the rally urged voters to protect votes and alleged EVM's of being "thief".

"You have to protect your votes because the machine (EVM) is a thief. When you cast your vote, check the paper trail and verify your vote... When the INDIA Alliance will form the government, this machine will end. Secondly, the Election Commission will become independent," said Abdullah.

A major ally of the INDIA alliance, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav praised Rahul Gandhi for his Yatra and said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) has tried to deliver a message which is quite significant in today's days...To save India's Constitution, brotherhood and to defeat hatred, he commenced the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' and for that my heartfelt thanks to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party."

Earlier, Union Minister Giriraj Singh also took a jibe at the INDIA bloc's mega rally in Mumbai, calling it just a "photo session."

"A photo session has commenced in Patna and concluded in Mumbai," he said, alluding to the first meeting of the INDIA bloc in Patna last year.

Earlier on Saturday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced that the general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases from April 19 and the counting will be held on June 4.

Nearly 97 crore voters will be eligible to vote for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across the country. With the announcement of dates, the moral code of conduct comes into force immediately.