Modi can be defeated in Varanasi : Digvijaya Singh

New Delhi: After Congress president Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh has also said that if strategised well, Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be defeated not just in Varanasi but across the country.In an interview to India Today TV, Mr Singh, who completed his 'Narmada Parkrama' Yatra on Monday, said, 'Mr Gandhi will try his best to defeat Modi in 2019 general elections.'

Supporting the idea that a United opposition can defeat Mr Modi and the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Singh said, "The bypoll results in Phulpur and Gorakhpur are examples of opposition parties joining hands against BJP and managing to defeat the saffron party.'Slamming the Narendra Modi government for its misgovernance and increase in communal tensions under its rule, the Congress veteran said, 'It has been four years since Mr Modi became the Prime Minister. During this time, the administration is in shambles, the economy has collapsed and communal tensions are a source of major concern."When asked about his future course of action, Mr Singh said,'Of course, I will be in politics, not fry pakodas. However, my future political course of action will be decided by my party leader Rahul Gandhi.'

Asked for his reaction in case he is removed as general secretary like party organisation and training-in-charge Janardan Dwivedi was replaced with general secretary of Gujarat affairs Ashok Gehlot, Mr Singh said, "I am ready. I have been general secretary for 14 years. How long can I continue? I will abide by Rahul Gandhi's decision."On the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Mr Singh said he was not in the race for chief ministership.

"I want to clearly state that I do not want to be CM," he said. Asked as to what he thinks should be the Congress strategy to come back to power in MP, Mr Singh said, "Our leaders should reach out to the electorate and feel its pulse, and tickets should be given to popular leaders."When asked if he felt that the party should project a chief ministerial face in MP, Mr Singh said Mr Gandhi will decide whether the party should promote a leader as the next Chief Minister.Asked on what difference he felt between the functioning of Mr Gandhi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Singh said,'It is unfair to comment on their styles of functioning. Right now, the party should give a free hand to Mr Gandhi to effect changes according to his wisdom."(UNI)