BALASORE/BHUBANESHWAR, May 18: Accusing the BJP of engaging in vendetta politics, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot today alleged that the saffron party wants to make India “opposition free”.
Addressing an election rally in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency in favour of party candidate and former Union minister Srikant Jena, Pilot accused the Narendra Modi government at the Centre of completely failing to check the prices of essential commodities, including fuel and cooking gas.
“People across the country have made up their minds to change the central government, which has failed to fulfill its promises of ‘acche din’,” he asserted.
“BJP wants to make India opposition free. They have frozen the bank accounts of the Congress… Two chief ministers were sent to jail,” he said.
Also, the credibility of major constitutional bodies is at stake due to the autocratic style of functioning, Pilot alleged.
“Attempts are being made to weaken the judiciary, Election Commission and media… This poses a grave danger to democracy,” he said.
On the four phases of elections completed so far, Pilot claimed that the BJP is already on the back foot in several states in the north, including Rajasthan, where it is in power.
The Congress leader also attacked the BJD government headed by Naveen Patnaik, calling it “non-performing” and alleged that “rampant corruption prevails in Odisha”.
He alleged that both BJD and BJP have “common interests” which were reflected in their past actions.
“In the last five years, BJD supported the BJP in Parliament. It is their political strategy to fight alone in the elections,” Pilot said while addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar later in the evening.
“Why do senior BJP leaders need to give clarification to the people that they will not make any change in the reservation system and Constitution?” he asked.
Pilot claimed that BJP leaders are issuing the clarification as it was on the back foot after party members made statements on these issues.
He asserted that the Congress is performing well wherever it has a direct fight against the BJP, as are other constituents of the INDIA bloc.
Reacting to Pilot’s statement, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan alleged, “The entire Odisha unit of the Congress is in the pocket of the BJD. Even Congress candidates in the state were decided by the BJD. Sachin Pilot is unaware of the political spectrum of Odisha.” (PTI)
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