BJP’s ‘400 par’ claim bogus, not even winning 200: Kharge

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday dismissed BJP’s ‘400 paar’ claim as bogus and said the party will not cross 200 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing a press conference in Amritsar along with party candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former deputy CM of Punjab OP Soni, Kharge said on what basis, they (BJP) are saying that their tally will cross 400.

“They (BJP) don’t exist in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana. You have 50-50 existence in Karnataka. You are weak in Maharashtra. In West Bengal and Odisha, you are in the fight. From where they will get 400 seats? And our position is much better across the country. You are losing the ground and we are winning. Their tally will not exceed 200,” said.

Kharge, wearing a white turban, later addressed a poll rally at Kotkapura in the Faridkot district in support of party candidate Amarjit Kaur Sahoke and in a replying to Union home minister Amit Shah’s jibe that Congress president ‘will lose his job’ after the elections, the Congress chief said, “I joined politics not for doing a job. I have been in politics to serve (people) since childhood, almost for as many years now as (PM Narendra) Modi’s age.”

Shah should think about his job after June 4, Kharge added.

Kharge also slammed the incumbent AAP government in the state for the drug menace and law and order situation.

“Due to frustration among youths and drug addiction, law and order is deteriorating. Fearing drug addiction, parents are sending their children to foreign countries. Everyone is compelled to go abroad because there are not enough employment opportunities,” Kharge said.

Promises to bring law for legal guarantee of MSP

In Faridkot, the Congress president slammed the Centre for unfulfilled promises to farmers.

“Demonetisation and wrong GST have hit the small and medium scale industries. If Congress is voted to power, the GST will be simplified. Punjab and Haryana are the largest agri producers. INDIA bloc will bring a law to make minimum support price (MSP) for crops a legal guarantee. We will make all kinds of farm-related equipment GST-free. At present, there is a 12% tax on a tractor, 5% on fertilizers and 18% tax on pesticides under GST. They are doing this so that farmers should not be benefited. Modi is giving to the rich and even waived off ₹16 lakh crore loans of businessmen. But they have not given even a single penny to the poor and have not even waived off any debt of the farmers,” he said.

Kharge further said that it is our duty to save the Constitution. “We will fight to protect the reservations of Dalits, tribals and backward classes. We also protect the fundamental rights of the common people,” he added.