People are 'maalik' in democracy, Cong will do what they say: Rahul Gandhi
Simdega (Jharkhand), May 2: People are the 'maalik' (masters) in democracy, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Thursday, asking them to tell his party's government what to do and it will be done.
Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi said, if voted to power, the Congress will ensure that Rs 72,000 is deposited every year into the bank accounts of families that earn less than Rs 12,000 every month, covering five crore households.
"Don't forget that your are the 'malik' in democracy.
Narendra Modi, or for that matter any other leader, is not your master. You just tell us what to do and we will do it," he told the rally.
Gandhi said the alliance (mahagathbandhan), of which the Congress is a constituent, listens to the voice of people.
"I have not come to speak out our 'mann ki baat' but listen to yours," he said, obviously targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his monthly radio programme 'Mann ki Baat' during which he spoke his mind on topical issues.
Gandhi said if voted to power, the Congress will introduce free treatment to the poor in hospitals and set up technical institutions in districts to create a large base of skilled workforce.
He appealed to electors of Khunti Lok Sabha seat to vote for Kalicharan Munda of the Congress who is pitted against BJP's Arjun Munda, a former chief minister.
The Congress president attacked the prime minister for not waiving farm loans despite the agrarian distress, and alleged that Modi's government only benefited 15-20 industrialists close to it.
The Congress leader said his party was committed to ensuring that the land of tribals was not taken away.
He also assailed the Centre over alleged slip-shod implementation of the GST, which he claimed, hit the poor hard.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
