This election is people vs Modi, people vs BJP, people vs RSS: Kharge

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 25 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that the ongoing Lok Sabha elections are a contest between the people and Modi, the people and BJP, and the people and RSS.
"This election is people vs. Modi, people vs. BJP, and people vs. RSS. People are fighting for us and themselves. There is a high possibility of our victory. This is why I said earlier that on June 4, the INDIA bloc will form a government," Kharge said.
The Congress President made these remarks during a press conference in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, alongside Congress MP Rajiv Shukla.
Kharge also took a jibe at PM Modi and accused him of taking away the benefits mentioned in the Constitution. "On one hand, you should recruit SC, ST, and you are not doing it. There are 30 lakh vacancies in the government, and if we do the calculation, in every state, there are about 1 lakh to 3 lakh vacancies. And now Modi is saying that he will not let anything happen to SC, ST, and the Constitution. All these talks come only during the time of elections."
"Whatever is in the Constitution, you (PM Modi) are taking them out, one by one. You are denying them those benefits. The alliance is fighting to save the Constitution and democracy..." he said.
Referring to PM Modi's public rallies in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla and Mandi, Kharge said, "When he came here, he also talked about many things. He had promised many things for Shimla in 2014 and 2019. The state went through such a big disaster, but PM Modi didn't give any financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh."
Claiming that the Prime Minister tried to topple governments in various states, Kharge said, "He also tried to topple the stable government in Himachal Pradesh. He has money power, and manpower, but he should take the path of the Constitution. Previously, he also toppled the government in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Manipur."
Kharge also slammed the BJP for using agencies like the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) to send ministers to jail. Referring to former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Kharge said, "And I have no hesitation in saying that BJP directly called Jharkhand's CM (former) and said that if he goes with the INDIA bloc, they will send him to jail through ED. But if he (Hemant Soren) is with them (BJP) or contests independently, then they will do nothing."
"Then, Jharkhand CM (former) said that he would like to go with INDIA and not BJP. When he said this, he was sent to jail by putting ED charges," Kharge added.
Kharge stepped up his attacks on PM Modi by claiming that he only speaks lies. He said, "The Prime Minister speaks so many lies... He lied about two crore employment, he lied about doubling the income of farmers..."
Earlier in the day, the Congress President addressed a public rally in Himachal's Rohru and criticized PM Modi for failing to provide relief to the state during the floods.
Taking to his official X handle, Kharge posted, "...The step-motherly treatment being meted out to Himachal Pradesh by the BJP central government today is shameful. Recently there was a flood in Himachal, I remember the pictures. I used to talk to the Chief Minister every day. How the roads were broken. Houses were falling. Bridges were breaking. Tourists were stranded at many places."
Kharge slammed PM Modi for failing to see the damage and added, "The state government assessed the damage caused by the disaster and sought a package of Rs 10,000 crore from the central BJP government. But PM Modi did not see the suffering of Himachal. We asked for money, but Modi only put stones in the lap of the people of Himachal. At the same time, the Congress government gave a special package of Rs 4,500 crore from its own money."
Polling in all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal is scheduled for June 1. It will not only pit candidates vying for Lok Sabha membership from four seats but also elect members for six assembly seats that fell vacant following the resignation and switchover of dissident Congress lawmakers.
The BJP, which won all four Lok Sabha constituencies in the state in the 2019 elections, is eyeing an encore this time.