NDA leaders drifting away as public discontent grows, says Mallikarjun Kharge

KALABURAGI: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged that public dissatisfaction with the NDA government was growing, forcing leaders to gradually distance themselves from the ruling alliance.

Speaking in Kalaburagi, Kharge cited YSR Congress Party leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, claiming that the latter had supported the NDA in 2023 but had now acknowledged that his decision was a mistake and apologised to the people.

Kharge also alleged that voters who had supported the NDA were beginning to realise that the BJP had won elections through alleged electoral malpractice. His remarks come amid the Congress’s continuing allegations of irregularities in the electoral process.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kharge accused the BJP leadership of repeatedly attacking Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi instead of addressing pressing national issues.

“Earlier, the BJP used to target Indira Gandhi. Now, criticising Rahul Gandhi has become the principal task of Modi and Amit Shah,” he alleged, questioning how long the BJP would continue to rely on Rahul Gandhi’s name for political attacks.

Youth losing faith in Modi, alleges Kharge

Kharge accused the Modi government of misleading young people through a series of policy failures. He pointed to vacancies in universities and alleged that the Centre was not giving adequate priority to education.

The Congress president claimed that the lack of attention to education and the concerns of young people had contributed to a decline in their confidence in the prime minister.

Kharge accuses Modi government of authoritarianism

Launching a sharp attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Kharge alleged that the Election Commission had acted in a manner favourable to the BJP and Modi’s leadership. He also alleged that bogus voting had taken place and criticised the prime minister for failing to address the concerns raised about the poll body.

Kharge further alleged that no action had been taken against the chief election commissioner despite the opposition highlighting alleged lapses.

Accusing Modi of pursuing an authoritarian style of governance comparable to Hitler’s rule, Kharge claimed that the government was attempting to weaken India’s democratic institutions and retain power through centralised control.

“We are fighting for the future of every citizen of the country,” Kharge said, asserting that the Congress would continue its struggle to protect democracy and democratic institutions.