Ponnam hits back at Bandi, backs Rahul for PM post

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar strongly countered remarks made by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, asserting that it is the right of his political party to aspire to see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Prabhakar said that in a democracy, leadership is not decided by an individual but by the people. “It is not for Bandi Sanjay or any other person to decide who should lead the country. The people are the ultimate judges,” he stated.

He emphasised that positions in a democracy are not permanent and depend entirely on the trust and mandate of the electorate. The Minister alleged that over the past several years, people across the country have faced hardships and accused the Union government of allowing corporate interests to dominate governance.

Prabhakar further alleged that the administrative system had become chaotic, claiming that government sector organisations were weakening and prices of essential commodities were rising sharply. He contended that no substantial efforts had been made to uplift the poor.

The Minister also accused the ruling dispensation at the Centre of fostering divisive politics by inciting religious hatred and targeting minorities and oppressed communities. He alleged that central investigation agencies such as the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were being misused to destabilise Opposition-ruled governments.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Prabhakar said the Congress leader had sought to promote national unity and questioned the criticism directed at him. He also took a swipe at Bandi Sanjay, alleging that despite being elected twice as an MP and serving as a Union Minister, he had failed to secure special funds for Telangana, and advised him to change his style of functioning.