‘Indefatigable’ Rahul our leader in good and bad times: Congress rubbishes exit polls

New Delhi: Congress leaders on Tuesday threw a protective shield around party vice president Rahul Gandhi against the predicted rout in the elections and went on to say that he would remain their leader for the future.

Reacting to exit poll predictions of Narendra Modi-led NDA government in the making, they sought to suggest that Rahul was never part of the UPA government and Manmohan Singh-led government was not able to convey to the people about its programmes and the work done.

The Congress leaders who came out to bat for Rahul included Jairam Ramesh, Kamal Nath and Salman Khurshid.

"All this discussion is absurd. Rahul Gandhi is our leader and he will remain our leader in good and bad times," said Khurshid, the minister for external affairs.

Rubbishing the exit poll predictions, which gave Congress very poor numbers, he said, "Be that as it may, he (Rahul) is our leader. We repose faith in him. He will lead us from the front, he will tell us if something has to be told and something has to be advised."

Ramesh, rural development minister, described Rahul as a "indefatigable" campaigner who toured all over the country and said, "Ultimately it is for the organisation to translate whatever positive impact Mr Gandhi or Mrs Gandhi's campaign has into electoral advantage."

Kamal Nath, urban development minister, also rejected suggestions that a likely poor show in the elections will be a reflection on Rahul's leadership, saying he was never a part of the UPA government.

He said the Manmohan Singh-led government was not able to convey to the people about its programmes and all the good work it was doing.

"Election results are a reflection on what people's perception of the government functioning was....To dismiss them (good work) and say we did nothing in 10 years is wrong. Rahul Gandhi was never part of the government," Nath said.