‘Contest with Tharoor for betterment of country, Cong’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge today said that his contest with Shashi Tharoor for the post of party president was aimed at putting forth their viewpoints for the betterment of the country and the party while Congress’ real fight was against BJP and the RSS.
Kharge said this during an interaction with party delegates at Congress office at Srinagar and Jammu, where he sought their support for the AICC presidential election.
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Kharge, a Rajya Sabha MP took a dig at BJP saying that nobody knows when and how elections of president are held în BJP, so what right the party has to raise questions about others especially, Congress which is the oldest and largest democratic party în the country.
“Congress is the largest democratic party în the country where elections are held right from booth level upwards to the AICC president, if there is a contest, like present one but no-body knows how the elections are held în BJP,” he remarked.
Kharge said that elections are held with complete transparency and freedom în the Congress party as per Constitution and every eligible delegate is free to contest for any post including the Congress president (AICC) but I have never heard any such election în the BJP for the post of president. However, they continue to raise questions about Congress.
Reacting to the BJP’s charge that the Congress only talks about dividing the country, the Cong veteran said,”If the country is prospering today, it is because of the Congress party. Our leaders have given so much to the country,” he added.
“Wherever BJP says, it talks about dividing the nation, and never talks about uniting the nation. We talk about uniting the nation, society and bring all together and want to safeguard the constitution of the country so that it will function as a democracy,” he said.
When asked about PM Modi saying that Congress has done nothing, he asked whether PM Narendra Modi and Shah helped in getting the country its independence.
“They were not even born then. Congress party leaders like Mahatma Gandhi fought for it. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru spent nine years in jail for uniting the country. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives. What sacrifice have they given for the country?” he asked.
“If nothing has been done in these 70 years, then would there be many AIIMS, so many doctors and engineers or so much public sector work? They do nothing, but only sloganeering, dividing the people is their aim and they are doing that. But, we will continue to fight that,” the Congress leader said.
Terming the ongoing elections, as internal matter of the Congress party, Kharge said prior to this too, four times elections were held for the post of Congress president including the last one between Sonia Gandhi and Jitendra Prasada.
“This is an internal election. It is like two brothers at home, who are not fighting, but placing their points of view and trying to persuade each other,” he said.
The Congress party veteran said the election campaign was not about what a particular candidate will do if he becomes the president of the party, but what they can do together.
“My belief is… what I will do is not the question. The question is what we both will do together for the country and for the party, this is important.
“Let us not talk about whether I will do this or that, or talk about someone else. How will you (party workers) and me together make the party stronger, save the country’s Constitution and its democracy, that is the question.
“Today, the country’s atmosphere is deteriorating and we have to make it stronger by peace and unity. That is why Bharat Jodo yatra is on,” he said.
Kharge, 80, said he would implement the Udaipur declaration of the party if he gets elected.
“If I get an opportunity, then I will try to fully implement the Udaipur declaration, because you have made the declaration after deliberations and placed a few things before the party and the country. I will try to take that forward and will take you along.
“It is important to take everyone along. I will take everyone’s advice and find solutions to the problems by discussing with PCCs and others… It is collective leadership,” he added.
Appealing to the delegates to support his candidature, the former leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha said there was no pressure on anyone and whoever was supporting him, was doing so happily.
He also said Rahul Gandhi was the only option if the party has to become stronger and powerful. “When I met Madam (Sonia) Gandhi, I told her if the party has to become stronger and powerful, then there is no option other than Rahul Gandhi because he fights on the roads, in the Parliament, and now he has vowed to walk 3500 km and he has walked three States.
“It is his commitment. He is walking on the roads and not taking decisions in an AC chamber. Thousands and lakhs of people are joining. This Bharat Jodo yatra is about uniting the thinking of the people of the country and not about dividing them,” he said.
Appealing PCC delegates, Kharge said that he has risen from the ranks right from Block president, DCC president PCC president and elected to the Legislative Assembly în Karnatka for nine consecutive terms prior to the election of member Lok sabha în 2009. I remained loyal to the party through its thick and thin, during my long political career and has also held several important assignments în the party and Government including several times Minister în the State and Centre.
“În view of my long political experience în the party and Government, I shall be able to futher strengthen the party at all levels and do justice to the dedicated party workers, ” he assured the delegates, while telling the workers that our real fight is against the BJP and RSS ,who are vitiating the political, democratic and social atmosphere în the country.
He said that Modi led Government has caused numerous hardships to the countrymen of all walks especially the poor and downtrodden, due to huge inflation and unprecedented price rise and record unemployment. The democratic institutions built by Congress în seven decades, have been weakened and the voice of dissent is being muzzled and crushed.
In his address, Nasir Hussain, MP appealed to the delegates to vote in favour of the candidature of Malikarjun Kharge who has a vast experience at his back and a veteran leader of the party.
Prof Gourav Vallabah said that the vast experience and grass root approach of Kharge’s shall be of great benefits to the party and expressed gratitude to him that he has agreed to take upon this challenging responsibility while seeking votes for him.
Senior leaders of the party comprising delegates from almost each organisational blocks of Jammu province were present în the meeting.
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