LS Polls: Rahul Gandhi Predicts BJP to Get Less Than 150 Seats

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asserted that the BJP’s electoral success would be limited to fewer than 150 seats on Saturday.

“These BJP people have kept saying that they will secure this many or that many seats, let me make it clear, they (BJP) won’t get more than 150 seats. Not even a single seat more than 150,” he said while addressing a public rally in Bhagalpur.

Rahul Gandhi pledged to discontinue the Agniveer scheme, arguing that India doesn’t require two categories of martyrs.

“As soon as the INDIA alliance government comes, we will end the Agniveer scheme. India does not need two types of martyrs. Everyone should get a pension,” he said.

He also pledged to introduce a minimum tax once in office.

“We will change GST. There will be one tax, the minimum tax. We will double the salary of Asha and Anganwadi workers,” he said.

He also vowed to waive farmers’ debts and ensure a guaranteed minimum support price for farmers if the INDIA alliance government is established.

“We are giving two guarantees to the farmers. The Congress party is going to waive off the farmers’ debts, and secondly, we are going to provide a guaranteed minimum support price to the farmers of India,” he said.

He also assured that his government would grant all graduates and diploma holders in India the entitlement to an apprenticeship.

He further elaborated that under the apprenticeship entitlement, every individual would be allocated a one-year apprenticeship in the public, private, and government sectors with a salary, and successful performance would lead to permanent employment opportunities.

“All the graduates and diploma holders of India, we are going to give them a right, the right to apprenticeship. The right to apprenticeship means that our next government is going to give every youth of India the right to a first job. Everyone will get an apprenticeship for one year with salary. They will receive training, and if they perform well in the first year, they will get a permanent job. These apprenticeship jobs will be available in public units, in the private sector, and in the government sector,” he said.

The first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 wrapped up on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spanning 21 states and Union Territories. Subsequent phases are scheduled for April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, respectively.