Why is Modi government concerned about opposition alliance more than fuel prices, asks Congress
New Delhi, Sep 10 : Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on the rise in fuel prices and fall in the value of rupee as it asked why it was bothered about "grand alliance" of the opposition parties more than anything else.
Terming the Modi government's excuse of rising fuel prices, which was attributed to rise in crude oil prices in international market, as "lies", the party alleged Modi was not running a government but ‘a profiteering company' to fleece the people.
"The national executive of the BJP discussed if the grand alliance of the opposition will last. Why are they so concerned about it? At the national executive usually discussions happen on various issues such as economy, inflation, law and order and problems of the people," said Congress General Secretary Ashok Gehlot.
"They are not concerned about these issues. They are silent on fuel prices, on the atmosphere of fear, hatred and violence in the country. They are thinking about the opposition in the national executive," he added.
He also said democracy was at stake in the country and this was the reason for the government's silence.
The party said 'Bharat Bandh' was a resounding success with people's support. "We thank the people of India for their enthusiastic, peaceful and voluntary participation. We also thank the 21 political parties, who joined the call of Bharat Bandh," said Gehlot.
"What was the reason that Rajasthan government had to reduce Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel and petrol prices by four per cent?" he asked.
Calling the hike in prices of petroleum products a "momentary difficulty" due to the international crisis, the BJP on Monday slammed the Congress and other opposition parties for the incidents of violence during the Bharat Bandh.
"Since May 2014, Modi government has increased ‘Central Excise Duty' 12 times - raising the Central Excise on Petrol by 211 per cent and on Diesel by 443 per cent. Customs duty has been increased manifold. This has led to a Rs 11 lakh crore ‘fuel loot'said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
"Why doesn't Modi government roll back the excise and custom duty to give relief of Rs 10-15 per litre?" said the Congress spokesperson.
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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.
