May 16th 2024.
During a press conference, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge confidently stated that the INDIA bloc will come to power in the next government at the Centre. He also pointed out that the BJP and its partners are struggling to secure 200 seats, as people are opposed to their policies. Kharge questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim of securing 400-plus seats and asked where the BJP will get these seats from. He declared that the BJP is nowhere to be seen in South India and in the rest of the country, their seats will decrease by half. Kharge firmly stated that the BJP will not form the government at the Centre and will instead struggle to secure 200 seats.
Kharge also mentioned that the NDA partners are facing difficulties in various states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and even in Odisha. He confidently stated that the people in Odisha are tired of the ruling BJD and the BJP and are in the mood to vote for the Congress. He lambasted both the parties and predicted that the Naveen Patnaik government will be voted out and the Congress will come to power in the state.
Kharge then went on to discuss the failures of both the state and central governments. He expressed hope that this time, a coalition government will come to power at the Centre to save democracy, protect the Constitution, and unite India. He dismissed Modi's guarantees and reminded the people of his unfulfilled promises in the past, such as providing Rs 15 lakh per family, doubling farmers' income, creating two crore jobs per year, among others. Kharge also pointed out that the prices of commodities, including oil and cooking gas, have increased under Modi's leadership.
The Congress president also highlighted the importance of Odisha for the party and accused both the BJD and the BJP of destroying the state. He stated that despite ruling the state for 25 years, there has been no development in Odisha. He pointed out that the state is rich in natural resources, but there is no development and industries from other states are dependent on its resources. Kharge also raised concerns about the high rate of unemployment in Odisha and cited a report by the International Labour Organization which stated that Odisha has the highest unemployment rate of 41%.
Speaking about corruption, Kharge stated that the state has been looted of lakhs of crores of rupees through chit fund and mining scams. He appealed to the people to vote out the BJD government and bring the Congress to power. He also promised that as soon as the INDIA bloc government is formed, all 30 lakh vacant government posts, including 15 lakh meant for Dalits, tribals, and backward communities, will be filled within two months.
During an election rally in Kandhamal district, Kharge appealed to the people to vote for the Congress in order to save democracy. He also promised to provide 10 kg of rice per head under the food security scheme. He reminded the people that the Congress had played a significant role in the development of the state, including the establishment of Paradip Port, Rourkela Steel Plant, Nalco, Hirakud Dam, and the KBK Yojana for poverty eradication. Kharge also emphasized that the Congress is the only party that has always fought for the welfare and protection of tribals, dalits, OBCs, and other marginalized communities.
In response to Kharge's remarks, senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stated that they do not have a common agenda and are making different promises. He also dismissed Kharge's allegations of the Modi government trying to end reservation for STs, SCs, and OBCs, stating that it is a lie. Birla firmly stated that there is no question of ending reservation for marginalized communities.
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