Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted that the INDIA bloc is in a strong position after four phases of Lok Sabha polls and the people of the country are prepared to bid farewell to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed a joint press conference of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) here on Wednesday.
Kharge said that the INDIA bloc would form the government in India on June 4. He asserted that the opposition was in a strong position after four phases of Lok Sabha polls and that the people of the country were prepared to bid farewell to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Kharge said, “In four phases of elections that have been completed, INDIA bloc is in a strong position and people have decided to let go of PM Modi. On June 4, the INDIA bloc will form the government. This election is an important one to save democracy and the Constitution.”
He also said that the election was to save the Constitution and asked why PM Modi had not taken action against those talking about changing the Constitution. He claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party would change the Constitution if it came to power again.
“These people are trying to change the Constitution. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Mohan Bhagwat said it first. It was said in Karnataka that a two-thirds majority is needed to change the Constitution. In Uttar Pradesh, so many from the BJP have talked of changing the Constitution,” Kharge said.
“I am surprised that Modi remains quiet on this. You talk of strength and 56-inch chest; why don’t you scare them, expel them from the party? One should not say such things against the Constitution,” he added.
Kharge said the Congress made a law to ensure food is provided to the poor.
“If the INDIA bloc government is formed, we will provide 10 kg of free rations per month to the poor,” he added.
“We all should work together to protect the future, democracy, and the Constitution of the country otherwise we will become slaves again. If there won’t be a democracy but autocracy and dictatorship, how will you elect someone with your ideology? Wherever any big leader of the BJP is contesting, opposition party leaders are being stopped from filing nominations. I have seen in Hyderabad that one woman candidate of BJP was checking women’s identities by removing their burqa. Is this how free and fair elections are conducted?” he said.
Kharge said the INDIA bloc was committed to fulfilling people’s guarantees.
“We will fulfill all the guarantees promised to you. There has been talk about 5 kg ration. The Food Security Act was brought by us. I promise that if the INDIA bloc government is formed, we will give 10 kilograms of ration. We have implemented guarantees in Karnataka and Telangana and we will do it when we will come to power at the Centre,” Kharge said.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the INDIA bloc would win 79 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. “I want to congratulate the people for the golden period in national politics beginning on June 4; that will be a day of ‘freedom of Press’. The BJP is tangled in its own negative narrative. INDIA bloc will win 79 seats in Uttar Pradesh, there is a fight on just one seat that is in ‘Kyoto’ (Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency of PM Modi).”