Congress General Secretary Alleges BJP’s Demise in South India
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh declared on Wednesday that the polling conducted thus far indicates the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been eradicated from South India and its presence has been reduced by half in the rest of the country.
Addressing the media in Ranchi, Ramesh also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attempted to sway voters on religious grounds during the election campaign.
“It has become abundantly clear that the BJP is facing annihilation in South India and will be diminished by half in North India. Four phases of voting have taken place across the nation on 379 seats, and it is now apparent that the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc will secure a decisive majority in the Lok Sabha elections,” Ramesh stated, accompanied by Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur.
Ramesh asserted that Prime Minister Modi’s language has shifted since he sensed defeat, indicating frustration and disappointment. “Now, the Prime Minister claims he does not engage in religious discrimination, yet his and the Home Minister’s discourse fosters polarization. It is evident that the BJP will not gain any foothold in South India.”
Ramesh posed four inquiries to Modi, asking if his ideology aligns with the Constitution and why he refrains from conducting a caste census. He also questioned Modi’s silence on raising the reservation limit beyond 50% and criticized the Central government for weakening laws protecting tribal interests through amendments.
Supporting the Congress manifesto, Ramesh emphasized its absence of inheritance tax provisions. “The Prime Minister aspires to steer the elections toward communalism, but we will not be misled. Our manifesto’s most effective communicator is the Prime Minister himself. After the PM’s statement, our manifesto was downloaded a record 5 lakh times,” Ramesh remarked.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing an election rally in Ramgarh to support BJP candidate Annapurna Devi, claimed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would be integrated with India if the BJP wins over 400 seats. He emphasized the need for 400-plus seats to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and construct a temple at Gyanvapi. Sarma took a dig at the Congress, predicting the party would struggle to secure enough seats to field a cricket team.
