20 more seats would have landed many BJP leaders in jail: Mallikarjun Kharge speech | Key takeaways

New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held a rally in Anantnag on Wednesday, where he made sharp remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being dishonest. “Modi is the Sardar of liars,” Kharge said, pointing out that despite widespread attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister remains unapologetic for his misleading claims.

BJP’s declining numbers in Lok Sabha

Referring to the BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha elections, Kharge highlighted the party’s drop in seats. "Where are the ones who boasted about crossing 400 seats? They have been reduced to 240," he stated. Kharge added that if the opposition had secured just 20 more seats, many BJP leaders would have been jailed. "These people deserve to be in jail," he emphasized.

Kharge continued his criticism of the ruling party, stating, “The BJP loves to give speeches, but there is a vast gap between their words and actions. Despite their efforts, the Congress-National Conference alliance remains strong, and we’ve shown our strength in Parliament. We will continue to march forward with that strength.”

Mallikarjun Kharge's speech in 7 key points

1. BJP’s religious divisiveness in Anantnag: Anantnag, a region of historical and religious importance, is visited by thousands for the Amarnath Yatra, symbolizing religious unity. Kharge accused the BJP of attempting to divide people along religious lines but asserted they would fail in this endeavor.

2. Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra strengthens Opposition: Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, which stretched from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, was a significant political move. Kharge noted that the active participation of INDIA alliance parties in the yatra contributed to the opposition's growing momentum.

3. BJP panicking over Congress-NC alliance: According to Kharge, the BJP is scrambling, evident in their repeated changes to the Jammu and Kashmir candidate lists. He attributed this to their fear of the unity between the Congress and National Conference under the INDIA alliance.

4. Modi’s false promises: Kharge called out Modi for failing to deliver on key promises, including depositing ₹15 lakh into every account and creating 2 crore jobs annually. He emphasized that Modi continues to mislead the public while terrorist attacks persist in Jammu and Kashmir, labeling him the "Sardar of liars."

5. Promise of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir: The Congress leader reiterated his commitment to restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He also promised to establish both an Upper and Lower House and fill over 100,000 vacant government positions, adding that thousands of closed schools would be reopened.

6. Congress’s Food Security Bill: Kharge contrasted the BJP’s policies with the Congress's legacy, reminding the audience that under Congress, Jammu and Kashmir had access to 11 kg of rice per family, which has since been reduced to 5 kg. He credited the Congress for introducing the Food Security Bill and urged voters to trust a party that works for the poor.

7. Corruption under LG administration in Jammu and Kashmir: Kharge accused the Lieutenant Governor’s administration in Jammu and Kashmir of rampant corruption. He referenced former Governor Satyapal Malik’s allegations of corruption worth hundreds of crores, stating that instead of investigating these claims, government agencies have been raiding Malik’s home.

Congress-National Conference pre-poll alliance

The Congress and National Conference (NC) have formed a pre-poll alliance ahead of the upcoming elections. The NC will field candidates in 52 seats, while Congress will contest 31 seats. The parties have left two seats, one for CPI (M) in the valley and another for the Panthers Party in Jammu, to ensure a broad opposition alliance.

In Jammu division, the alliance will field candidates in Nagrota, Banihal, Doda, Bhaderwah, and five seats in Sopore, where they will compete in what is being termed a “friendly contest.”

Last assembly elections, abrogation of Article 370

The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2014, resulting in a BJP-PDP coalition government. The coalition collapsed in 2018, leading to Governor’s rule for six months. This was followed by President’s rule, under which the 2019 Lok Sabha elections took place. In those elections, the BJP secured a massive majority at the center.

On August 5, 2019, the BJP government made a historic move by abrogating Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and divided the state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. As a result, assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held after a decade.