BJP is aiming to win 400-plus seats to snatch rights of poor people: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, 30 April, claimed that the BJP was seeking to win more than 400 Lok Sabha seats not for the welfare of the poor but for taking away their rights.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa district, he also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become frustrated after sensing that the INDIA bloc was heading for a majority, and hence he was resorting to remarks about "mangalsutra" and "Hindu-Muslims."

The rally was in support of Shivkumar Dahariya, a Congress candidate from Janjgir-Champa.

"This election is being fought to keep India united and save the Constitution and democracy," Kharge said.

"Modi and his followers say again and again, give us a 400-plus figure. They are seeking 400-plus seats not for the welfare of the poor, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and backward people...They are seeking it to take away the poor people's rights," he said.

Kharge also asked why RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had to clarify that they were not going to change the Constitution or end reservations if some BJP leader had not talked about such plans earlier.

BJP talks about the poor, but "increases the income" of industrialists Adani and Ambani, he claimed.

He also attacked the PM over his remark that Congress was planning to seize people's wealth including even women's mangalsutra, and asked, "We (Congress) ruled the country for 55 years, but did we snatch anyone's 'mangalsutra' or misuse the ED, IT to put people behind bars?"

Polling in Janjgir-Champa will be held on 7 May.