Lok Sabha election a fight between two ideologies: Rahul Gandhi
Mandya (Karnataka) (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday termed the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a battle between two ideologies -- INDIA bloc "fighting for the Constitution" on one hand and BJP, which wants to "abolish constitution and democracy", on the other.
He said if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, it will be a "government of ordinary citizens, farmers, labourers and traders", while highlighting his party's manifesto for the polls.
“This is the fight between two ideologies. There is Congress and INDIA bloc on one hand, which fought for the Constitution, gave Constitution and democracy to the country. On the other hand there is BJP, which wants to abolish the Constitution and democracy and is placing their people in all the institutions,” Gandhi said, addressing an election rally here.
While the BJP-government "belonged to 22 to 25 rich people", Congress will give a government which will work for the ordinary citizens, farmers, labourers and traders, he said.
This is his first visit to the Congress-governed Karnataka after the election schedule was announced a month ago.
In Mandya, the Congress is facing JD(S) which is BJP's alliance partner. There is a direct contest between JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy and Congress' Venkataramane Gowda, popularly known as 'Star Chandru' here.
The Congress had secured only one seat in the 2019 general elections in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies. BJP had bagged 25 while an independent candidate backed by the party had also emerged victorious. JD(S), which fought the elections in alliance with the Congress back then, won in one seat.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said the party will win 15 to 20 seats in the state this time around. Mandya will vote in the first of the two phase elections in Karnataka.
While 14 constituencies in the southern part of the state are going for election on April 26, the second phase voting for the northern districts will be held on May 7.
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Abhishek Banerjee challenges Amit Shah to contest against him, says will quit politics if defeated
Mathurapur (WB), Apr 30: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to contest against him from Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency and if the BJP leader wins, he would retire from active politics.
Banerjee, who is considered the number two in the TMC, also said that Shah has two other options to make him retire from politics.
"If you want Abhishek Banerjee to leave active politics, then I would like you to fulfil any of the three options I am providing you today. You release the state's due of Rs 1,64,000 crore and I will retire within 24 hours. The second option is to release the funds of the PM Awas Yojana," Banerjee said at an election rally for TMC’s Mathurapur candidate Bapi Halder.
"The nomination for the Diamond Harbour constituency is yet to start. The third option: you (Shah) contest from here and defeat me. I will leave politics forever," the party’s national general secretary said.
Responding to the BJP leader’s statement in Memari earlier in the day that TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee wants him to be the next chief minister of West Bengal, Abhishek Banerjee said everyone is not like him (Shah).
"You wish to make your son the BCCI president. Not all are like you. You have never been part of any agitation. You are a person who was jailed. We do not need to learn any moral values and ideology from you," Banerjee said.
The Union home minister’s son Jay Shah is the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
"You are in politics for your benefit. We do not do that. We are in politics to address the cause of the people," he said.
