Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan proclaimed that Rahul Gandhi stands as a compelling contender against Prime Minister Modi. (Pic Credit: PTI)

Keralam chief minister VD Satheesan praised Rahul Gandhi as a tenacious “fighter,” stating on Friday that the head of the Congress party is the opposition’s “only option” to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the prime ministership in the 2029 general elections.In an exclusive interview with news agency PTI, he said that Gandhi’s campaign against the chief election commissioner will be “marked in the history of India” as a pivotal moment that altered the political landscape of the nation.According to the Congress chief minister, he is a combat and the citizen of India believe in Rahul ji. He would fight like anything when will have a conviction. The intellectuals, media, and coalition partners have a deep trust in Rahul Gandhi.On asking, whether the opposition India bloc and other outside the block will be able to accept Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial canditate, Satheesan stated; “Definitely, everyone will accept him. All the coalition partners will follow his rally because he is the one who can change the government.”“There is definitely no other choice for these parties. “This is the only choice,” he declared. This is the first comment made by a well-known Congress politician following Gandhi’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, and the first leader to firmly connect it to Gandhi’s aspirations to become prime minister.Early this week, Satheesan was present in New Delhi, when Rahul Gandhi was detailed along with his sister Priyanka during the protest march demanding a resignation of the CEC due to purported flaws in the SIR procedure.The minister even waited for him outside the police station, when he was released.“I was happy to take part in the battle and agitation, which was led by Rahul ji. I think that India’s history will remember this movement.”He said, “this fight will retain the democracy, and it will be remembered in the Indian history, when asked about whether he believed that the current movement marked a turning point in India hostory. All of these things will never affect the Indian democracy.”When Rahul Gandhi first raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and accused the Election Commission and the Union government of manipulating elections, many dismissed his claims as the complaints of a defeated politician, Satheesan said.However, Gandhi remained determined, gathered data and continued to pursue the issue, he said.The Union government and the Election Commission have strongly rejected allegations of wrongdoing, maintaining that the process was conducted in accordance with the law.

Satheesan said Gandhi had the ability to unite opposition allies against the government, stating that he “can rally all the coalition partners against this Fascist government.”Asked whether Gandhi could match Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and charisma, Satheesan responded confidently: “Of course he can. He can. He can do it. People believe in him now because he’s sincere, honest (and has) no other interest. He is talking sense.”Clarifying his remark about Rahul Gandhi having “no other interest”, Satheesan said many politicians pursued interests beyond their public roles, whereas Gandhi’s focus was on opposing and exposing the government.