New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said had his party gained 20-30 more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it could have paved the way for the formation of an alternative government in the country.
Addressing the first leg of the district presidents from 13 states and 3 Union Territories here, Kharge said, "While the Congress secured almost 100 seats, if we had worked harder, we could have gained 20-30 more seats and a gain of such seats could have led to the formation of an alternative government in the country”.
“Had we achieved this, we could have halted the systematic assault on our independent institutions, democracy, and the Constitution”, he remarked.
Maintaining that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections INDIA parties fought unitedly against the BJP alliance, restricting them to 240 seats, he said, “our ‘Save Constitution’ campaign exposed BJP-RSS’ secret desire to change the Constitution”.
Kharge reiterated that the party’s battle against the RSS and the BJP will continue. He said the united fight against the RSS-BJP during last year's General Elections had prevented the BJP from getting absolute majority and saved the Constitution from their desire to change it.
He also emphasised the need for voter list management.
Stressing the importance of the role of district presidents, he told them “You are not just our messengers, but the generals of the Congress party, leading from the front on the ground”.
Referring to the challenges faced by the country, Kharge said, the economy was in shambles.
“The rich are getting richer while the poor become poorer. Unemployment is at an all-time high. Skyrocketing inflation has resulted in the lowest household savings in decades”, he pointed out, while adding, “attacks on the poor, marginalised communities, women, and weaker sections of society are increasing”.
Kharge reiterated the party’s demand for caste census to restore social justice in the country.
Kharge criticised the government for its failure over foreign policy, pointing out, “the countries like the USA are not only insulting our citizens, but also embarrassing us by imposing counter-tariffs”.
He alleged that the BJP governments at the centre and in the states remain focused on creating communal disharmony to divert public attention. These communal issues are deliberately manufactured in the media to benefit BJP rather than the people.
Maintaining that the independent institutions the Congress built were now under attack by those in power over the past 11 years, he said, such institutions were being controlled by a handful of people with allegiance to a particular ideology.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also addressed the District Congress Presidents’ meeting. He emphasised their role as the foundation of the Congress party. He said, without them, the party cannot thrive, cannot succeed.
"Our fight is not just against the RSS-BJP—it is for an India where every citizen, every community, has the right to dream and achieve. Together, we will build a stronger Congress and a fairer India, he remarked," he added.
Besides Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, the meeting was addressed by general secretary KC Venugopal, treasurer Ajay Maken and in-charges of the states and UTs. UNI RBE SSP