New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge speaks during party's Nyay Sankalp Workers Convention, in New Delhi, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: A month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off BJP's electioneering in Kerala from Thrissur district, Congress also chose the same turf to launch its campaign in the state, that too by countering the guarantees highlighted by Modi.
Addressing Congress' 'Maha Janasabha' attended by thousands of party workers at the Thekkinkadu ground in Thrissur, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the "wrong policies" of the Modi government led to "drastic increase" in price of essential commodities, unemployment and "destruction" of the public sector.
"Life of the poor and common people became miserable under the Modi regime. The gap between the rich and poor are widening as subsidies to the poor were withdrawn," he said.
Kharge said that the BJP was pursuing anti-women policies. He cited the issue of women wrestlers and crimes against women allegedly involving BJP leaders. "The BJP has been protecting those accused of crime against women. Atrocities towards the marginalised section are increasing. As many as 51 cases of crime against women are being registered in the country every hour," he said.
In order to counter BJP's bids to tap the Christian vote banks, Kharge also highlighted the Manipur tension and criticised the Prime Minister for not visiting Manipur. He asked why Modi could not visit Manipur even when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could.
Accusing the BJP of seeking votes based on caste, creed and religion, Kharge said that the voters should consider the election as an opportunity to "save the country and its democracy" by not allowing the BJP to win.
Even as the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front is Congress' main opponent in Kerala, Kharge refrained from attacking much the Left-front during his public address in Kerala.
Most sitting MPs to remain in the fray
Ahead of Kharge's visit, Congress senior leaders held discussions on selecting candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. There was a general consensus that all the 14 sitting MPs, except Kannur MP and Kerala PCC president K Sudhakaran, should recontest.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also likely to recontest from Wayanad even as the CPM and CPI had expressed displeasure that it would weaken the joint fight of the opposition parties against the BJP at the national level as BJP is not the principal opponent of the Congress in Kerala. In Kerala, the direct fight is mainly between the Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF.
Meanwhile, Congress' key coalition partner in Kerala Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is seeking one more additional seat apart from the two it is now having. The Congress is likely to concede to it as Muslim vote banks are decisive in many constituencies, including Wayanad.