Vote to protect rights, self-respect, Constitution: Rahul Gandhi, Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to voters to cast their ballots in large numbers in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, where polling for assembly elections is underway.

Keep those who do opportunistic politics and endanger the future of farmers and youth away from power, Kharge said to voters in Maharashtra. He urged voters in Jharkhand to vote to protect their rights.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, too, urged voters in the two states to exercise their franchise to "save the Constitution" and avail the benefits of guarantees offered by the INDIA bloc.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, 'All the voters of Maharashtra who follow the ideology of Shivaji–Shahu–Phule–Ambedkar are requested to vote in maximum numbers.'

'Preserve the pride of Maharashtra, the prosperity of the state and the development that has been taking place for decades.

'The forces that have been doing opportunistic politics, policies that benefit select capitalists and endanger the future of farmers and youth — keep them away from Maharashtra,' the Congress chief said.

Kharge said the politics of money and muscle power has never happened in Maharashtra, and said the voters 'will have to think how much such falling political standards have hurt the self-respect of Maharashtra'.

Appealing to the people of Jharkhand, he said they had voted for public welfare, protection of water, forest, land and tribal civilisation in the first phase.

'You have to protect your rights in this phase too. The victory of social justice is certain, the defeat of polarisation is certain,' Kharge said.

The Congress leader also made a fervent appeal to young voters to come out and vote. 'We appeal to our young friends to definitely vote, we welcome them on this festival of democracy. Vote, and encourage others to vote as well,' Kharge said.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi also put out separate appeals for the people of Maharashtra and Jharkhand: 'Brothers and sisters of Maharashtra, I appeal to all of you to vote today to protect the self-respect and constitution of the state.

'Your every vote for the Maha Vikas Aghadi will stop the theft of your jobs and projects, will ensure fair prices for crops to farmers and will bring prosperity to your lives with 5 guarantees,' Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

In another post, he appealed to the people of Jharkhand to vote in large numbers to protect their interests and for a better future.

'Your every vote for INDIA will protect your water, forest and land and will make your life prosperous with 7 guarantees like the Maiya Samman Yojana,' Gandhi said.

Polling for the single phase election in Maharashtra and the second phase of elections in Jharkhand began in the morning. The results of the polls will be declared on Saturday.