Spoke to PM on BJP ‘poaching’ Opposition leaders by ‘scaring’ them, says Cong chief Kharge…

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on Friday, revealed that he had a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the BJP’s “poaching” of leaders from opposition parties. Kharge accused the BJP of scaring the leaders into joining their parties.
This statement comes in the backdrop of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan‘s recent decision to join the BJP, which Kharge described as an act of cowardice.
During a tea meeting in Parliament, Kharge directly asked Prime Minister Modi about the increasing number of ministers and ex-chief ministers joining the BJP. Kharge questioned the ruling party’s appetite for taking leaders from the opposition into their fold. In response, the Prime Minister claimed that people were willingly joining the BJP and cited the government’s work as the reason behind it.
Expressing his disappointment with turncoats, Kharge emphasized that party workers and voters had made these individuals influential leaders, only for them to flee to another party. He called this act cowardly. However, Kharge urged his party workers not to be afraid, stating that only through perseverance and fighting spirit could they achieve victory.
Kharge also highlighted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise to provide a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP) if the party comes to power at the Centre. He claimed that this assurance has been well-received by the people. In line with this, several farm organizations from Punjab have begun a march to Delhi, demanding a legal guarantee for MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm laborers, farm debt waiver, and no increase in electricity tariffs.
Kharge further accused Prime Minister Modi of repeatedly lying over the past decade, while unemployment rates continue to rise. He warned that if people continue to praise the Prime Minister despite these issues, the country will face a disastrous future with no democracy and a compromised Constitution.
(With inputs from agencies)