Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose in in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. In an Amethi public meeting, he stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 400-seats plan will not come to fruition.
He further asserted that the BJP will fail to secure even 100 seats. "Though the BJP claims that it will gain over 400 seats, it won't be able to cross 100 seats. Abki baar, Satta se bahar (This time, they will be ousted from power)," Kharge said at a rally in Amethi on Monday.
While addressing the motion of thanks after the President's address in the Parliament, Prime Minister Modi expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA alliance will get more than 400 seats and the BJP would win at least 370 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. He said the third term of the government was not too far.
Kharge accuses BJP, PM Modi of creating discord among Amethi, Raebareli residents
Kharge accused the BJP of creating discord among the residents of Amethi and Raebareli, traditional Congress strongholds. He criticised the BJP for the incomplete projects in Amethi initiated during the Congress's tenure.
“Projects worth thousands of crores of rupees were given here during the Congress government, but the Modi government put a stop on those as soon as it came to power. This government is taking out its enmity with the people of Amethi and Rae Bareli. There was a project for a mega food park here, which would have benefitted lakhs of farmers, but the prime minister stopped it. Remember Modiji, if this trend continues, people will oust you from power,” he added.
Kharge also took a jab at PM Modi for blaming the Congress for halted projects. "Modiji (PM Narendra Modi) would come here and accuse the Congress party of halting projects. Tell me what are you doing now. The public will give a befitting reply to this," the Congress president said.
He reminded the audience of Amethi's strong ties with the Gandhi family and highlighted the BJP's interpretation of Sonia Gandhi's Rajya Sabha nomination as a sign of defeat.
Smriti Irani attacks Rahul Gandhi
Meanwhile, Amethi MP Smriti Irani accused Rahul Gandhi of being greeted by empty streets and criticised the Gandhi family for declining an invitation to the Ram Lalla's Pran Prathistha ceremony.
"Amethi's former MP insulted the people of Amethi in Wayanad. Amethi was distressed due to this. Ram Lalla's invitation was rejected by him and his family. Amethi is distressed due to this also," Irani said. Not only this, she also dared Gandhi to contest from Amethi alone in the Lok Sabha elections.
"I dare him (Rahul) to contest from Amethi alone in the Lok Sabha elections," she said. She also claimed that since the Congress party did not deliver on its election promises made to the people of Amethi for decades, Rahul Gandhi was greeted with empty streets.
"Rahul Gandhi considered Amethi as the centre of power but did not provide service, that is why he was welcomed by the deserted streets in Amethi. Congress workers who welcomed Rahul Gandhi did not participate in his yatra due to which the Congress had to call workers from Sultanpur and Pratapgarh," she said.
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