Last chance to save democracy, Constitution: Congress after EC announces Lok Sabha election schedule

New Delhi: Soon after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule, the Congress on Saturday said that it was "perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship".

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the people of the country will together fight against hatred, unemployment and price rise.

"The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will open the 'door of Nyay' for India. This would be perhaps the last chance to save democracy and our Constitution from dictatorship.

"'We the people of India' will together fight against hatred, loot, unemployment, price rise and atrocities. 'Haath Badlega Halaat' (the Hand will change the situation)," Kharge said on X, referring to the Congress' poll symbol.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said at a press conference that these "milestone" elections are happening under "a cloud of scams" of electoral bonds, jailing, suspension and raiding of opposition parties and politicians and freezing of funds of the primary national opposition party, which is "unprecedented".

"It is a milestone election because this election will decide whether our democracy will be protected or not, whether Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution will be protected or one man's whims and fancies will decide the direction and future of our democracy. It is a very crucial election," Khera told reporters.

He alleged that the BJP has reduced the constitutional status of the Election Commission and noted that the Congress gave a dissenting note on the appointment of the election commissioners.

"We have been raising issues that matter to farmers, youths and women, especially to the unemployed youth through the two yatras that Rahul Gandhi undertook. We have underlined the need for India's politics to focus on these issues. People have been waiting for this election.

"People want to elect a party that thinks of the youth. The promise of giving 30 lakh jobs to the youths, the promise of putting an end to paper leaks and the promise of tough laws to deal with this. These are promises that have changed the way politics need to be done in the country and no political party can afford not to focus on these issues," he asserted.

Khera also said that 18 million new voters would be voting this time and they would be "remembering and thanking Rajiv Gandhi who gave voting rights to the youth".

"BJP's slogan is for the BJP's benefit only. Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge gave guarantees for the country and its people. The Congress' guarantees, slogans and narrative are for the people and not for themselves," he asserted.

He claimed that in the next two months, the country would be rid of the "rhetoric" by the BJP and the prime minister.

Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning from April 19 and the counting of votes will take place on June 4 for the world's biggest election exercise, according to the schedule announced by the Election Commission.

Khera also said that for the last 10 months, opposition parties have been struggling to meet the Election Commission and the poll body should answer why it is not finding time to address their concerns.