TMC's Shatrughan Sinha pitches Rahul as PM candidate for 2024 elections, attacks PM Modi

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday lauded Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra by calling it 'revolutionary' and said that one cannot ignore Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial face for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Speaking to ANI, the former Congress leader, Shatrughan Sinha said, "You cannot ignore Rahul Gandhi as PM face in 2024. ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ was revolutionary. Mamata Banerjee will be a game-changer in 2024."

Sinha, a Rajya Sabha MP, who hails from Bihar, also spoke on the current political developments happening in the state. He praised Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and said that the latter is doing good and has gained 'much experience'. Sinha called Tejashwi the 'future of Bihar' saying that qualification is 'not needed' to become the CM or PM. 

"Tejashwi Yadav is doing good, he has gained much experience. He is seen as the future of Bihar. To become Chief Minister or Prime Minister, qualification is not needed, one only needs support," the TMC leader said. He also hailed Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and said that he is doing "excellent work of bringing the Opposition together".

Shatrughan Sinha attacks PM Modi

The actor-turned-politician also attacked PM Modi saying he does not believe that the PM ever sold tea and the whole narrative was created for propaganda. "I don’t believe PM was selling tea, this is only for creating propaganda," Sinha told ANI.

Earlier on Wednesday, while speaking to reporters, Sinha stated that worrying about the Opposition's potential candidate for the PM face is futile because what counts is clarity as to who must be stopped from returning as Prime Minister.

"It appears ‘achche din’ (good days) of my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are over," Sinha who quit the BJP four years ago said, PTI reported. 'We have been hearing this talk of who will be the leader since long. People used to ask the same question till Nehru was around. It is pointless for the opposition to occupy itself with this thought. The important part is that there is clarity regarding who must be stopped from returning as PM," he said.

Notably, Sinha's remark comes after Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the TMC party saying that it has a history of violence and scams. 

(With inputs from agencies)