GUWAHATI, April 2 - Finance Minister and NEDA Convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused the Opposition Congress of treating the minorities as mere �vote bank� and added that senior leaders of the grand old party �seek refuge� in constituencies with sizeable minority voters in search of �safe seats.�
�Rahul Gandhi is heading towards certain defeat at Amethi. Nowadays Congress leaders seek safe seats. Congress leaders seek refuge in constituencies having a sizeable segment of minority voters. Rahul Gandhi has now sought refuge in Kerala. Tarun Gogoi�s son has taken refuge in Kaliabor by leaving his home constituency. They use minorities as vote bank,� Sarma said here on Monday.
Sarma added, �We request the minority voters not to allow themselves to be treated as mere vote bank. Rather, they should raise their voice to secure their rights.�
The NEDA Convenor said that Rahul Gandhi�s decision to contest from Wayanad constituency in Kerala, besides from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, proves that the Congress president is standing on shaky ground.
�By deciding to contest from two constituencies, Rahul Gandhi has proved what is already being talked about for long, that he will lose (in Amethi) and Smriti Irani will win,� said Sarma.
