Rahul Gandhi addressed an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka on Sunday. Congress enthused by the huge turnout at its first major public meeting for the assembly elections on May 10 (Image: News18)
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi began his speech by focusing on four big poll promises of the Congress and alleged 40 per cent corruption against the Basavaraj Bommai-led government.
Gandhi recently met the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar And his deputy Tejashwi Yadav also reflected in his speech: he demanded the 2011 caste census be made public and asked the state government to breach the 50 per cent reservation limit set by the Supreme Court.
The former Congress president did this to counter the allegation that he had disparaged OBCs (Other Backward Classes) at the same venue in his 2019 speech, for which he was convicted in a criminal defamation case and disqualified from the Lok Sabha. Was declared. He argued that the biggest insult to the OBCs was that the BJP government at the center did not make public the 2011 caste census, which determined how many OBCs, SCs (Scheduled Castes) and STs (Scheduled Tribes) existed in India. Are.
Incidentally, it was the UPA government (till 2014) that decided not to make the 2011 caste census public, citing inaccuracies. Gandhi, however, said that reservation should be in proportion to the population of a community.
He began his speech by focusing on the four big promises of the Congress in the elections and alleged 40 per cent corruption against the Basavaraj Bommai-led government – these local issues are working for the Congress and garnering much applause from the crowd Are.
But he then moved on to his allegations against businessman Gautam Adani and raised questions about his relationship with the prime minister. Narendra Modi – an issue that feeds the national debate, a direction that even the BJP wants to take for the Karnataka elections.
Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the chief ministerial face would be decided after the elections and party workers should not bother about it. Gandhi said he was happy that the state leadership was fighting unitedly. Former CM Siddaramaiah and state president DK Shivakumar were both on the dais, while there was some sloganeering in favor of Siddaramaiah after he was denied Kolar as the second seat to contest.
local vs national
Gandhi spoke of four promises made to the people and said they would be fulfilled in the first cabinet meeting if the party is voted to power.
“In a few days, the Congress will form the government in Karnataka. We have made four promises: 200 units of free electricity, Rs 2,000 per month to women, 10 kg rice per month to each member of the family and Rs 3,000 to every graduate as well as Rs 1,500 per month to diploma holders. To say four fingers up, the BJP commissioned only 40 percent in the state.
But he quickly slipped into Adani’s case and spoke at length about how the central government is helping the businessman to grab all the infrastructure projects.
“You (PM Narendra Modi) helped Adani with all your heart, we will help the poor, youth and women with all our heart,” he said. He talked about how he was not allowed to speak on the Adani issue in Parliament after his opening speech.
“I ask the PM – what is your relation with Adani and who has invested in Adani’s shell companies?” But these parts of the speech didn’t resonate with the crowd, he said.
Gandhi said for the first time, the Center did not allow the Parliament to function. “They don’t want me to speak about Adani in Parliament. So they disqualified me and they think they will be able to intimidate and bully me. I’m not afraid of them. Put me in jail, it doesn’t matter. He said that Congress should win with absolute majority. “Or they’ll try to steal your government. That’s why we should win 150 seats.
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