INDIA Bloc confident of blocking BJP majority, Kharge asserts

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asserted that the response of the people towards his party and the INDIA bloc has changed significantly and there is a big undercurrent in favor of the alliance which will be able to stop the BJP from getting the majority numbers in Lok Sabha polls.

In an interview with PTI, he said it is the people who are now fighting for them and against the ideology of the BJP and the RSS which spreads "hatred and division" in society.

The Congress chief said people feel the fight is now to save democracy and the Constitution and have extended support to the party.

Kharge also accused the BJP of repeatedly instigating people and "emotionally looting" them in the name of the Ram Temple, Hindu-Muslim, and India-Pakistan and claimed they have now understood their true colors.

"After traveling across the country, we are getting the sense that there is a big undercurrent in our favor. The Congress party and coalition partners of the INDIA bloc will get more seats this time. We will be able to stop the BJP from getting the seats required for coming to power. I feel the BJP will not be able to form its government," he told PTI.

"It is the public that is fighting for us and it is not just us. People are supporting the ideology that we follow and are fighting for us. The BJP will lag and we will move forward," Kharge also said.

Asked from where they were getting the confidence, Kharge said the response of people towards them and how they have started supporting them and are fighting for their ideology is giving him such confidence.

Terming this Lok Sabha election as crucial, he said the call to save the Consitution and democracy is for saving the fundamental rights and the freedom of speech and expression of all Indians.

Five phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls are over.

Kharge said that people are also upset over price rise and unemployment as they have emerged as two major issues in these polls. He said the BJP has also not been able to fulfill the promises made earlier, be it providing two crore jobs, getting back black money from abroad, and doubling farmers' incomes.

The Congress president also accused the government of speaking "lies" and befooling people and claimed the people have understood their intentions and they now stand exposed before them.

"They first looted them emotionally and instigated them, but now they have understood. They have been repeatedly talking about the Ram Temple, Hindu-Muslim, and India-Pakistan...The BJP creates hype and does not even appreciate the work done by the Congress in the past. They talk of chicken, buffalo, mangal sutra, land, does the prime minister talk like this," he claimed.

With two narratives of reservation and the Constitution emerging as major poll issues this election, Kharge said it is not a question of which one is winning.

"Who started saying that to change the Constitution, we need a two-thirds majority and want 400-paar? RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has also talked about reservations. They cannot take away what is written in the Constitution, but not implement them. They want to change the Constitution because they want to appoint their own and RSS people there, who are not even qualified. That is why we say that the BJP is not implementing what is written in the Constitution.

"They do not even accept democracy, as they have toppled democratically-elected governments in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Manipur, Uttarakhand, and Goa. Where have they not done? They do not follow the democratic path and do not work as per the Constitution. That is why we call for saving the Constitution and democracy, as it will save everyone's fundamental rights," he noted.

Kharge claimed the right to freedom of speech and expression is being curbed and saving the Constitution means saving the fundamental rights and freedom of speech and expression of all Indians.

"They are suppressing democracy and are opposing the Constitution, that is why this election is very significant - from children to the elderly and from print media to television and even social media users," he asserted.

The Congress president also said that with elections underway, opposition leaders are being threatened and harassed and put behind bars, not allowing them to even campaign.

"There is no level playing field being maintained by the BJP, as opposition leaders are being threatened. These things are not good in a democracy and an authoritarian rule is being implemented," he claimed.