India to have dictatorship, no more elections if Modi wins Lok Sabha polls, says Kharge

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed apprehension that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be the last opportunity for the people to save democracy, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi might prefer dictatorship in case his party wins the upcoming polls.
He also urged people to keep away from the BJP and its ideologue RSS, alleging that they are “like poison”.
“This will be the last opportunity for the people to save democracy in India. If Narendra Modi wins another election, there will be dictatorship in the country. The BJP will rule India like Putin in Russia,” Kharge said while addressing a party rally.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS, Kharge said that the present government under Modi is being run by threatening states and leaders of the opposition.
“Notices are being served to the leaders and ED & Income Tax has become weapons to grind the political opponents,” he claimed adding that the people should be aware of the BJP and RSS ideologies.
He alleged that the leaders are threatened to leave their parties and alliances if they oppose the ideologies of BJP and RSS.
Kharge claimed that Rahul Gandhi was frequently threatened as he opposed the BJP and the RSS.
“However, Rahul Gandhi did not come under their pressure and continues to fight against such forces that are out to divide the nation,” the Congress president said.
On the JD(U) of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA leaving the Congress camp on Sunday, Kharge claimed it will not have any impact on the polls.
“One person quitting Mahagathbandhan will not weaken us. We will defeat the BJP,” he said.
The Congress president also described Modi as a “habitual liar” whom he accused of misleading the people by assuring 2 crore jobs every year and Rs 15 lakh money in every Indian’s bank account.
Referring to Modi’s jibe at Congress’s achievements during the last 70 years, Kharge said: “You (Modi) become the chief minister of Gujarat and now the PM because the Congress had held the democracy and Constitution high. But you are now destroying the basics of democracy and the Constitution.” He said the Congress has given rights to women, Dalits, tribals and the downtrodden by properly implementing the Constitution.
Asking the people what the Modi-Naveen Patnaik combine has given to Odisha, Kharge claimed that Congress gave Paradip Port, Rourkela Steel Plant, Chilka Naval Academy, Mancheshwar Rail Coach Factory, HAL, Ordnance Factory, AIIMS and several educational institutions to the state.
“But today Patnaik ji, along with BJP, is allowing the natural wealth here to be looted,” he alleged.
“Pandit Nehru ji and Biju Patnaik ji were very good friends. He (Biju) believed in the ideology of Nehruji. But today’s Patnaik (Naveen) believes in the ideology of BJP,” Kharge said.
Without naming anyone, Kharge also targeted Patnaik’s close aide and former IAS officer V K Pandian, who recently quit civil service and joined the ruling BJD.
While 30 lakh posts are vacant in government institutions across the country, Modi is not filling them as SC-CT, OBC people would also get jobs, Kharge alleged. (PTI)