New Delhi, October 29: Union Minister Piyush Goyal took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday by sharing an AI-generated image mocking the party’s failure to win any of the 28 Legislative Council seats it contested across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka.
The image portrayed Gandhi as a petrol pump attendant, with a fuel dispenser displaying the names of the four states and a meter reading “0.00”, highlighting Congress’s reported zero-seat tally.
Goyal’s Jibe
Sharing the AI-generated image on social media platform X, Goyal wrote, “Zero check karlo Bhai”.
The post quickly became part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) political attack on Congress following the Legislative Council election results.
BJP leaders highlighted Congress’s failure to secure a single seat in the contests, using the outcome to question the opposition party’s electoral performance.
EVM Debate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several senior BJP leaders also targeted Congress over its repeated criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The ruling party questioned Congress’s allegations about the electoral process and its demand for a return to ballot-paper voting.
BJP leaders argued that the results weakened Congress’s claims regarding voting irregularities. However, the election outcome alone does not establish whether broader concerns about electoral procedures are valid.
Sitharaman Responds
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised Rahul Gandhi over his allegations concerning the Tata Group and the treatment of Indian businesses.
Gandhi had claimed that Tata was being “criminally destroyed” and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of exercising undue influence over businesses.
He also questioned why business leaders were remaining silent about the alleged situation.
Political Exchange
Responding on X, Sitharaman urged Gandhi to avoid politicising commercial and legal matters.
She said describing such issues as criminal without substantiation was unacceptable, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition.
The exchanges reflected the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with the ruling party targeting Congress’s electoral performance while opposition leaders raised questions about corporate governance and political influence.
