The Bharatiya Janata Party had started the elections with 27 planes and 17 helicopters, while the Congress had only one plane and copter. Soniaji was our lone campaigner while the BJP had several leaders. This is the situation the Congress contested elections. Opinion polls were against it. Lack of resources. Filthy campaign by the BJP, which called Rahul Gandhi a 'driver' and Soniaji a 'clerk'.
Still, the Congress has shown this result, and if the atmoshpehere was a little in favour of us the Congress and allies would have got 250 seats.
When the process of election started we had accepted the coalition dharma. The election had been fought and the coalition had been formed prior to the elections.
About our prime ministerial candidate, Smt Soniaji is the supreme leader of the Congress and her decision will be binding on us.
The process of economic reforms was started by the Congress government and it had made it clear the process is irreversible. The Congress will not back out, but a human face will be given to the reforms. About the Golden Quadrilateral project, the highway autority was set up by the Congress, and the BJP was trying to steal the credit for it. Newspapers and government ads may give the credit to the NDA, but people know the reality.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress was in very bad shape. This time the situation has imprived drastically and our vote percentage has gone up. The most amazing thing is we are equal to the BJP. In the coming elections the Congress stand will improve drastically.
Rajiv Shukla, Rajya Sabha member from the Congress party, appeared on the Rediff Election Chat at the Congress party headquarters in New Delhi