Jagga Reddy counters Shah, says Rahul Gandhi could have been PM in 2004 and 2009

TPCC working president T. Jagga Reddy said Rahul Gandhi could have become Prime Minister in 2004 and 2009 but is not pursuing the post, countering Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim that he will never be PM. Reddy made the remark at a press conference in Gandhi Bhavan, Hyderabad, on November 4, 2026. He reminded the audience that Gandhi was born into a family that has already produced several prime ministers and that the role has always been within the Nehru‑Gandhi family’s reach.

Reaction

Reddy added that unlike leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rahul Gandhi is not after the prime ministerial seat. He framed Shah’s comment as a challenge for the Telangana Congress, vowing to contest all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the next general election. He also criticised the BJP’s use of Lord Ram in its campaigns, noting that Mahatma Gandhi sang “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram” long before the BJP or its leaders Narendra Modi and Amit Shah were born. Reddy argued that the BJP claims exclusive ownership of Ram’s name, even though Congress and Mahatma Gandhi invoked the deity earlier.

Context

The exchange reflects ongoing political rivalry between the Congress and BJP in Telangana, where both parties vie for the 17 parliamentary seats. References to historical figures and symbols are a common tactic to claim moral authority in Indian election battles.