The Congress chief and Opposition mahagathbandhan leaders attacked the divisive politics of the NDA government at the Centre; they said ‘unemployment and rising inflation’ had become an ‘unbearable load’ for the people
A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Patna, Opposition Mahagathbandhan leaders on Saturday claimed that after three phases of the Lok Sabha elections involving 285 seats, it had become clear it would be “very difficult for Modi to form government” and that “Modi will not be the PM” this time.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also alleged that “the Modi government is a government of speaking lies,” The Hindu reported.
“Elections on 285 seats have been completed in three phases and 96 other seats will be added in fourth phase on May 13, taking the total number of seats that have gone to the polls to 381. I can now say that it’s going to very difficult for Modi to form government this time,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday, addressing mediapersons in Patna.
“There is huge resentment among the people against the BJP and this NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government at the Centre. Unemployment and rising inflation are the pressing issue for the people, which have become an unbearable load on them,” Mr. Kharge said, adding, “This time, Modi will not be the PM.”
“Modi sarkar jhoot ki sarkar hai (the Modi government is a government of lies). I have not seen a Prime Minister creating so much division in society. He (Mr. Modi) only loves the word ‘M’ — Muslim, mutton, mangalsutra and machhali (fish),” Mr. Kharge said in a reference to Mr. Modi’s speaking of them in his poll meetings.
“He (Mr. Modi) does not answer people’s queries. They (the BJP) harass farmers, women, labourers and youth of the country and now they are harassing them in this election,” he added.
“The only thing they resort to is Hindu-Muslim [rhetoric] to continue their politics and divide people, but people this time have understood that this is not good for the country and they (the BJP) are doing all this only for votes,” Mr. Kharge said.
“Yesterday, in Maharashtra, he (Mr. Modi) said Pawar saheb (Sharad Pawar) and Uddhav Thackeray should come to us (the BJP) to fulfil their needs. Can a PM say all this?” Mr. Kharge said.
“The BJP-led NDA government has waived debt worth of 16 lakh crore rupees of rich people but not of poor people. Earlier, when the Manmohan Singh government was in power, it had waived ₹72,000 crore debt of farmers,” Mr. Kharge said.
“RSS (Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh) people, who work only for rich people, are being trained these days and brought in to join in this government on key posts at the level of Joint Secretary. This government runs on daily wage and contract basis. To stop them and to defeat them, we are working hard, and nowhere it appears that Modi and his party are going to win,” he said.
When asked if various cases lodged against members of the Opposition by the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Board of Investigation, and the Income Tax Department would be withdrawn if the Congress government came to power, Mr. Kharge said they would be “against whom false cases have been lodged”. “We will work as per the law and Constitution,” the Congress leader said.
At the press interaction, Mr. Kharge was also asked who would be made Prime Minister if the Opposition alliance came to power. “It’s a question like Kaun Banega Crorepati (referring to a TV quiz show).Mahagathbandhan will choose the leader together,” he said.
On former Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda’s controversial remarks and subsequent resignation, Mr. Kharge said: “We have accepted his resignation. That’s all.”
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said the PM “should maintain his post’s pride”.
“In Bihar, naukari ma matlab Tejashwi Yadav (in Bihar, employment means Tejashwi Yadav). Employment has become the biggest poll issue in Bihar,” he said, adding, “The Constitution will be in danger if the BJP comes to power again at the Centre. It has become a point of discussion among the people of the State. They (the BJP) tried a lot to polarise people on religious lines, but it was not done as the people of Bihar are progressive voters.”
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was conspicuous by his absence at the event. “For health reasons, Lalu-ji has not come,” State Congress president Akhilesh Singh said.
Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders, too, took on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. “There will be no return of the NDA government on June 4. We will will form an alternative government at the Centre,” CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya claimed.
