Cong chief Kharge calls people of Gujarat 'illiterate' in Kerala poll rally
Idukki (Kerala) (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday made an apparent controversial statement during his assembly poll campaign here, calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate" and claiming they were being "fooled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the same time, Kharge said neither Modi nor Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could fool the people of Kerala, describing them as "very clever and educated".
"Don’t misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever and educated. Modiji, Vijayan, you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you cannot fool the people of Kerala," the Congress chief said.
He made the remark while alleging that both Modi and Vijayan were following the same path, with no difference between them except the parties they lead.
"LDF and BJP are going forward together and attacking the Congress. Modi in Delhi and Vijayan in Kerala have the same style of functioning. They want to keep power centralised in their own hands," Kharge said.
"In fact, I have heard people say that Pinarayi Vijayan is Kerala's Modi and that BJP and LDF have secretly plotted to keep Congress away from power," he claimed.
Kharge also alleged that Vijayan was being controlled by Modi. "He (Vijayan) is not an independent man now," he contended.
He further alleged that the BJP was the most communal party and that it, along with the RSS, would destroy the country.
"I condemn their attitude, I condemn their ideology," he said.
Kharge also called Modi a "liar" and urged people not to believe him, claiming the PM failed to deliver on his promise of providing two crore jobs every year after coming to power.
"Don’t listen to Modi. He is a liar. He promised two crore jobs every year when he came to power. He has been in power for 12 years. Has he provided the jobs?" he asked.
He also took a dig at Modi, referring to the PM’s frequent claim that he is the only one capable of running the country because of his "56-inch chest".
"What is the importance of your chest? Go and tell the tailor, he will properly stitch a jacket for you," Kharge added.
He alleged that the BJP and RSS were destroying the country, its future generations, and its unity.
"Its leader Modi will harm the people, he will destroy, and our people will suffer. People are already struggling due to a lack of LPG, inflation, and unemployment," he added.
Kerala will go to the polls on April 9 for 140 seats.
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
