NCP supports Rahul on citizenship row

Lucknow, April 30 (IANS) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday came out in support of Congress President Rahul Gandhi who has been served notice by the Union Home Ministry on his citizenship status.

NCP General Secretary D.P. Tripathi told reporters Rahul Gandhi has been a member of parliament for several years and the timing of the notice showed that it was served to make it an election issue.

"Subramanium Swamy has been raising these issues for several years but has never produced a concrete proof to support his allegations. The home ministry should not have served notice to him without any proof," he said.

The NCP leader though criticised Gandhi for choosing to contest from Wayanad. "He could have gone to Bellary or some other constituency instead of contesting against the Left," he stated.

Tripathi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling the opposition anti-national.

"The Prime Minister belongs to the entire country. He is well within his rights to criticise the opposition during election but the dignity of speech should be maintained. This is in accordance with the federal structure of our country."

Replying to a question about the prime ministerial candidate of the opposition if it came to power, the NCP leader said: "That is not an issue. We decided the prime ministerial candidate after polls in 1977 and 1989.

"The issue at present is to vote the BJP out of power. I also condemn the Prime Minister's statement that 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs were in touch with him."

The NCP is supporting the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh but Tripathi would be campaigning for the Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli.

The party will also support the Congress on Dhaurhara, Kushinagar and Lucknow seats.