Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress party for exploiting caste divisions and consolidating its voter base through appeasement tactics. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi has made promises of reservations for Muslims in Kerala’s Wayanad constituency in exchange for votes.
“… The media should ask a question. Has a deal been struck in Wayanad, promising Muslims to give reservations in favour of making Rahul Gandhi win the seat of Wayanad?” he said in an interview with TV9 Bharatvarsh.
PM Modi also criticized the Congress for their accusations against the saffron camp regarding altering the constitution if elected, asserting that it’s the Congress party that has utilized the Constitution to gain power and engage in vote bank politics.
“Congress is spreading lies claiming that the BJP will change the Constitution of India. If you look at the history of Congress, you’d see they don’t believe in the sanctity of the Constitution… ” he said.
Comparison of Election Campaigns: 2014 vs Present
PM Modi highlighted the shift in election dynamics between the 2014 and current campaigns, noting that in the previous election, the BJP-led NDA faced a formidable coalition backed by the ruling party’s resources. Despite this, they endeavored to secure their seats. Back then, people placed their faith in Narendra Modi’s development agenda with high expectations. However, in the 2019 polls, those expectations transformed into trust due to Modi’s diligent efforts and performance. This trust has now evolved into a ‘guarantee’.
PM Modi on the Congress Manifesto:
The prime minister characterized the Congress’ manifesto as akin to that of the Muslim League, asserting that the grand old party’s underlying agenda is evident: to sow division in society based on caste and to consolidate its voter base through appeasement tactics. He alleged that the Congress aims to strip away reservations intended for SCs, STs, and OBCs and instead extend these benefits to Muslims.
PM Modi on West Bengal:
PM Modi also spoke about his vision for West Bengal and said, “If the country has to develop, West Bengal is one of the states that can take the country ahead.”
PM Modi criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress state government, asserting that both the TMC and the communists have inflicted considerable harm on the cultural heritage of West Bengal. He highlighted the state’s significant contributions to Indian history and tradition.
He additionally accused the TMC government in the state of disregarding the grievances of women, stating that this is why the BJP has nominated a common woman as a candidate. “We gave a ticket to Rekha Patra, an ordinary woman from West Bengal. The TMC govt is not even ready to listen to the pain of women. Nari Shakti will give a befitting reply to the oppression going on in Bengal by a woman on Nari Shakti…” he said.
2024 Elections:
Ten states and two Union territories, encompassing a total of 94 constituencies, are participating in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on May 7th. The states involved include Goa, Gujarat, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa will be in focus as all Lok Sabha seats in these states go to polls on May 7.