Guwahati, April 27: During a press conference in Guwahati today, Mallikarjun Kharge, the National President of the Indian National Congress (INC), emphasized the party’s longstanding tradition of collective leadership. His remarks came as part of the ongoing campaign for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Assam.
Upon arriving at Guwahati Airport, Kharge wasted no time addressing several critical issues surrounding the upcoming elections. He sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s governance, accusing him of failing to fulfill his promises. “While the slogan was ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ what we’ve seen is more akin to ‘Sabka Vinash’ (destruction for all),” Kharge referenced Modi’s well-known developmental pledge.
Kharge also tackled the contentious issue of black money, pointing out discrepancies in the PM’s previous assurances. “Modiji promised to bring back black money and distribute ₹15 lakhs to every citizen. Those promises have not been realized,” he asserted.
The Congress leader didn’t shy away from discussing the controversial electoral bonds. “We have raised the issue of electoral bonds as they skew the level playing field in politics. It seems there’s a correlation between corporate donations and procurement of government contracts under the BJP’s rule,” he alleged.
Addressing the BJP’s approach to communal issues, Kharge accused them of using divisive tactics. “The frequent references to Muslims by the BJP are an attempt to polarize the electorate,” he claimed.
Kharge also responded to Union Minister Smriti Irani’s recent criticisms of Rahul Gandhi choosing to contest from Wayanad, besides Amethi. “Leaders are meant to represent the people, and they should contest from where the people demand their presence. Before pointing fingers at others, one must remember that multiple fingers point back at them,” Kharge remarked, drawing parallels with past practices by BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani, who have also switched constituencies during their political careers.
Kharge concluded by teasing upcoming announcements regarding Congress candidates for key constituencies, hinting that decisions for Amethi and Rae Bareli would be revealed shortly.
Assam Pradesh Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah, Central In-Charge of Assam Congress Jitendra Singh and Guwahati Lok Sabha Candidate Meera Borthakur Goswami were also present during the media interaction held at Hotel Kiranshree, Guwahati. Following the press conference, Kharge promptly departed to campaign in the Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency.
The third phase of polling in Assam during the Lok Sabha 2024 elections is scheduled to take place on May 7, covering four parliamentary constituencies – Guwahati, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, and Dhubri. This phase will witness the participation of 47 candidates and over 81 lakh voters.
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