While he said he differed with the Prime Minister, but said, "I don't want to get involved in 'Tu Tu Main Main' (blame game) as the country is fighting a tough battle against the virus and we will only be successful to contain it when everybody works together."

 

"There should be no declaration of victory, it is a long fight. I disagree with PM Modi on a lot of issues but we have to unite and not fight. We have to defeat the virus together," said Rahul Gandhi.

 

"We are in a very serious situation, that is clear. I think all political parties and the people of India have to work together if we want to solve the problem and defeat the virus," Rahul said while addressing a press conference through video conferencing.

 

"It is possible that the structure of our democracy changes, but our priority is to defeat the virus," and we know how to bring the Democratic norms back," he said.

 

He suggested that the Prime Minister should listen more to the Chief Ministers.

 

"Our strength to fight Covid-19 is at state and district level. Success in Wayanad has been due to district level machinery. So, I suggest that the approach to fight against Covid should not be top-down but bottom-up. Prime Minister should empower states," Rahul added.

 

He said, "the Congress will give constructive suggestions, it's up to the government to listen or not to listen, but I don't want to be on credit hogging," Rahul said.

 

"Let's forget what has happened so far with testing. But we are in an emergency situation now. So all of India needs to fight this together. We have to work not by adopting weak methods but with a strategy."

 

Lockdown allows time and space to put in medical resources, ramp up testing abilities, prepare hospitals, get ventilators. "A misconception that I want to clear is, in no way does a lockdown defeat the virus, it stops the virus for sometime," said Rahul.

 

Rahul Gandhi said that the government should think of the exit strategy and economic burden which is going to come in months. "Decide what your exit strategy would be after the lockdown," he said.