BIDAR: AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge seemed disturbed by the political development at the national level, which was openly seen in his speech at Bidar on Tuesday.
He was addressing the felicitation organized by 17 different organisations and a few public representatives here to celebrate his 50 years of political life and the decennial celebration of bringing Amendment to Article 371 J of the constitution for Kalyana Karnataka Region at Nehru Stadium.
Kharge said that during his recent meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi, he enquired about the medicine he was using to attract opposition leaders towards NDA, to which PM Modi replied smiling, ‘If they were coming to us what should I do’.
In fact, the BJP, RSS and Modi were giving the tablets of threat of income tax and ED. Because of the fear, the big leaders of different parties, including the Congress, are quitting their party and joining NDA though they enjoyed the power of minister or chief minister, he observed.
AICC president cautioned the leaders and people to be alert as the future of democracy and the Indian Constitution is under threat. "It is necessary for us, who want to protect the democracy and Indian Constitution, to be united and face all threats and to get power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," he said.
He told people that voting for the Congress Party is not a favour to the Congress Party but a medium to save democracy and the Indian Constitution.
Mallikarjun Kharge blamed BJP for mixing religion with politics. "If they preach the religion, they should do it in homes or temples, the religion should not be mixed with politics," he said.
"You can fool the people once or twice but you cannot fool the public always," AICC President cautioned the Prime Minister.
"People remember your false promises of providing 2 crore jobs every year, giving Rs.15 lakhs to every citizen which was kept as black money during the regime of the Congress Party and doubling the income of farmers. Even after 10 years not even one of the guarantees was fulfilled," he added.
Kharge, who was born in Bidar district, said that though Gurmitkal Assembly constituency and Kalaburagi district gave a boost to his political life, Gurmitkal, Kalaburagi and Bidar districts had a special place in his heart. But whenever the welfare works are concerned, he and the former chief minister late Dharm Singh considered all 7 districts of Kalyana Karnataka Region alike and struggled for the development of the region.
He contested for the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 only after getting assurance from Sonia Gandhi that if the Congress Party came back to power, it would amend Article 371 J of the Constitution.
"We took much trouble for bringing the Amendment to article 371 J. Sonia Gandhi herself spoke with leaders of many political parties to get the amendment passed unanimously in the Parliament," he recalled.
"If you have any love towards me or gratitude towards Congress party for getting the benefits of amendment to Article 371 J, and if you want to keep the democracy and Indian constitution alive, the People of Kalyana Karnataka Region should elect all the candidates of Congress Party in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections," said AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.
With this, Mallikarjun Kharge launched the election campaign for Lok Sabha from Bidar district.
Working President of KPCC Eshwar Khandre who is also Bidar district in-charge Minister, Minister Rahim Khan, former minister Rajashekhar Patil and others were also present.