Maharashtra Elections: Mallikarjun Kharge lashes out at BJP

Nagpur: Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Mahayuti government over the law and order situation in the state. Kharge was in Nagpur to hold an election campaign for the upcoming assembly polls.
He said that the kind of governance expected in Maharashtra was not happening. The problem of unemployment, farmers, youth and drug addiction has increased in the state, Kharge added.
"The problems of unemployment, farmers, youth and drug addiction have increased in Maharashtra. Women are not safe. The law and order situation in Maharashtra is not the same as it was earlier. Times have changed. After the BJP came to power, the kind of governance that is expected is not there. People are just lying by commenting on each other and saying wrong things. Maharashtra needs a good government because the state has to be brought on the path of progress," the Congress President said.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his speech in Maharashtra's Akola, the senior leader said that BJP ministers including MPs and MLAs are coming to the state and trying to strengthen their jod-tod (coalition) government on 288 assembly seats by giving provocative speeches.
"They are giving provocative speeches and trying to mislead people by diverting their attention from the real issues. You should directly ask for votes. Why are you provoking people? Ask for votes on the basis of work (done). Some say that if we get divided, we will be killed (batenge to katenge)," Kharge said, adding that they are the killers of Mahatma Gandhi.
"Who killed Mahatma Gandhi? You are the killer and you are the one who cuts. Those who intend to keep the country united never say such things," he asserted, asking "Which great man does BJP have who would sacrifice his life for the unity of the country?"
Kharge further said that the BJP was repeating their scheme and guarantees while criticising the Congress for providing the same by calling it "freebies."
"When Rahul Gandhi showed the Red Book of the Constitution, he was called a sympathiser of urban Naxals. The Prime Minister had also gifted the same Red Book once," he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a rally in Akola as part of the BJP campaign in the run-up to the assembly elections, taking a dig at the Congress he said that neither the party nor its allies cared about Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution nor the court nor the sentiments of the country.
"Congress is well aware, the more the country weakens, the more they will strengthen. 'Jab Congress mazboot hogi, desh majboor ho jaega'. Congress creates a divide between various castes. It never let our castes unite. If our castes do not stay united and stay conflicted with each other, Congress will take advantage of it. Congress will take away the rights of SCs. This is their conspiracy and character. You have to stay aware. Remember, 'Ek hai toh safe hai," said PM Modi.