PM Modi doesn't want power to go into hands of the poor, claims Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not want power to go into the hands of the poor.

Addressing a rally in Sukma town in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Kharge said the Congress, which is currently in power in the state, has always stood by tribals in their fight to protect their "jal-jangal-zameen" (water, forest and land).

Konta is the single assembly segment in the tribal-dominated and Naxalite-affected Sukma district, which is among the 20 constituencies where polling will be held in the first phase of the state elections.

“When Modi ji laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building, the then President Ram Nath Kovind was not invited because he is supposedly 'achhoot' (untouchable) and incumbent president Droupadi Murmu was not invited to its inauguration because she is from a Scheduled Tribe. Only two people do such work, Modi and Shah,” Kharge said.

He claimed that presidents belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities may have been appointed, but did not get a chance to lay the foundation stone of any building. "PM Modi does not want power to go into the hands of the poor," Kharge said.

He slammed the BJP for questioning what the Congress did in 60 years, and claimed the saffron party does nothing except abuse the Congress.

Kharge said he had not come only to seek votes as besides winning elections, "we have to protect the (tribal) community, Constitution, democracy, and the country".

Konta is currently held by state minister Kawasi Lakhma, an influential tribal leader of the Congress from the Bastar region. Lakhma, a five-term MLA, is seeking a third straight term from this seat.

Voting for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases. Polling for 20 seats will be held on 7 November and for the remaining 70 seats on 17 November.