PM going from street to street in South to compensate for losses: Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is campaigning from street to street in South India to compensate for the BJP's "losses" in northern states, All India Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba said on Tuesday, 23 April.

Addressing an election rally in Jammu, she targeted the BJP saying those "day-dreaming of a Congress-free India have been uprooted from south India by the people".

"The prime minister, shifting focus from north India, is campaigning from street to street in South India. Why? Because the BJP is facing heavy losses in seats in north India. To compensate for these losses, they are campaigning in South India," Lamba said.

Lamba, who hit the campaign trail in Jammu in support of Congress candidate Raman Bhalla, claimed that many BJP supporters did not come out to vote for the party in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election on 19 April.

"Voting took place on 102 seats in the country on the 19th, including 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Over one crore people who had voted for the BJP in the past did not come out to vote and sat at home. One crore BJP votes have decreased," she claimed.

Lamba dismissed suggestions that there was a "Modi wave" in these elections, and claimed the ruling party's tally will fall to "below 200 seats".

She said that the BJP dreamt of a Congress-free India, but in recent elections, the Congress defeated the BJP's "double-engine" government in Karnataka.

"In Telangana, the Congress formed a government there with a majority, shattering the BJP's dream," she said.

The Congress leader said that the 36-party INDIA bloc is united from east to west and is fighting together.

"The prime minister's speeches are devoid of issues like inflation, the plight of farmers and downtrodden, and women's concerns.

"The prime minister has been in power for 10 years. If he had the courage, he should have held a press conference and answered questions from the media, the fourth pillar of democracy," she said.

Lamba said Jammu and Kashmir wants freedom from the "dictatorial government," and her party will ensure it.

"You (government) took away Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, imposed President's rule, and want to govern J-K from Delhi," she alleged.

"Assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir and its statehood will be restored under the INDIA alliance government," she said.

The Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, on 5 August, 2019.

Polling in Jammu will be held in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on 26 April.