Did BJP Revive a 12-Year-Old PMO Post When Manmohan Singh Expressed Willingness to Serve Under Rahul Gandhi?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP critiques Congress's past governance.
- Comparison of leadership styles: Modi vs. Singh.
- Implications for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election.
- Highlighting the importance of political communication workshops.
- Focus on development agendas amidst opposition challenges.
New Delhi, Sep 7 (NationPress) Referencing a 12-year-old social media statement made by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the BJP took a jab at the Congress on Sunday, suggesting the party's meddling in governance and alleged misuse of the PMO’s official resources during the UPA administration for party-related activities.
In a post on X, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared Dr. Singh’s statement, contrasting the decisive and clear direction of the PMO under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the previous state of affairs during the UPA government led by Dr. Singh.
“This highlights the difference between the past and the present,” stated Malviya, who oversees the BJP’s National Information and Technology Department.
He remarked, “Twelve years ago, the state of our nation was such that even the Prime Minister’s Office was compelled to share messages that unveiled the failures and chaos of the Congress-led UPA.”
On September 7, 2013, Manmohan Singh had stated, “I would be pleased to work for the Congress party under the leadership of Mr. Rahul Gandhi – PM.”
Malviya aimed to underscore the irony of a government head appearing subservient to the ruling Congress leader, questioning, “Consider this — if the PMO itself needed to release such messages, what could the ground reality have been then?”
Malviya’s comments coincided with PM Modi participating in a workshop with BJP MPs at the Parliament complex, focusing on refining political communication, legislative capabilities, and governance strategies.
During this Parliament Workshop, where PM Modi chose to sit in the last row, discussions were fostered on advancing the Centre's development agenda while countering the Opposition.
Following the two-day workshop, BJP MPs are expected to join PM Modi for a dinner meeting on Monday.
This workshop is particularly timely, occurring just ahead of the Vice-Presidential election scheduled for September 9. The new Vice President will be elected by an electoral college consisting of 788 voters, including 543 from the Lok Sabha, 233 from the Rajya Sabha, and 12 nominated members.
The NDA has put forth Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as its candidate, while the INDIA bloc has nominated former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy.