"BJP speaking more about our manifesto than theirs": MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari
May 02, 2024
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 2 : Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP on Thursday, Congress' state president Jitu Patwari on Thursday said the former was speaking more about his party's 'Nyay Patra', or manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, than its own.
In what will be a shot in the arm for the party, amid the string of exits to the BJP and the recent withdrawal of its Indore candidate, giving a walkover win to the ruling party in the state; Patwari informed that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would visit the Morena district later on Thursday to lift the morale of the cadres on Thursday.
"Priyanka-ji is visiting Morena today. I believe people across the country are awake to this crying need to save our democracy from the BJP and ensure that the reservations for all backward sections remain. On one side is our manifesto, promising five Nyays (justices) that come with 25 guarantees combined. On the other side is the BJP's manifesto (Sankalp Patra) unveiled by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi of which we've seen plenty of images but not much discussion. In fact, the BJP has also been talking about our manifesto. While we are talking about the people in general, the BJP is merely addressing about 10 per cent of its industrialist friends," the Congress state chief added.
On Chief Minister Mohan Yadav accusing the Congress of changing the Constitution, Patwari said there was a difference between bringing minor changes to the stature book and changing it altogether.
"There is a difference between making minor amendments to the Constitution and changing it altogether. Some BJP candidates have said openly that they will change the Constitution if the party returns at the Centre with over 400 seats. They are also talking about ending reservations in the country and reducing the voting age. They want to shake up our healthcare sector and the judiciary and impose the BJP's agenda on the country. CM Mohan Yadav cannot understand the difference between what we have done and what they plan to do. However, the people have come to realise their real intentions," Patwari added.
Also accusing the BJP of insulting the architect of the Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, he added, "The country has also realised that it is the BJP that has insulted Ambedkar. The BJP is disturbed after sensing the public mood the anxiety and nervousness is writ large on the faces of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Mohan Yadav."
Also accusing the BJP of violating the law, the Constitution and the Election Commission, Patwari said, "The Election Commission should understand that the BJP does not believe in law, the Constitution and the election watchdog itself. This party has murdered democracy, it toppled 17 governments, buying MLAs and MPs like veggies at mandis."
"Now, they are even abducting Opposition candidates using the administrative machinery. The EC should take due cognisance of this and act," the Congress leader alleged further.
Earlier this week, on Monday, the Congress candidate from the Indore Lok Sabha seat Akshay Kantri Bam, withdrew his nomination and switched over to the BJP.
Polling for the Lok Sabha in Madhya Pradesh is being held across four phases, with the first and second already done and dusted on April 19 and 26.
Voting for the next two phases is scheduled to be held on May 7 and May 13. The counting of votes for all phases has been scheduled for June 4.
With 29 Lok Sabha constituencies, Madhya Pradesh ranks sixth among all states in terms of its representation in the Lower House. Of these, 10 seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, while the remaining 19 are unreserved.