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The Indian political landscape is heating up as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approach. This escalating tension was evident in recent remarks made by Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge during his campaign tour in Jammu and Kashmir. Kharge, exuding confidence in his party's performance in the upcoming J&K assembly elections, made a bold claim that had the opposition INDIA bloc secured 20 more seats in the Lok Sabha, the BJP would have been behind bars. This statement, delivered during an election rally in Anantnag, immediately ignited a firestorm of controversy.
Kharge's comments, coupled with his earlier statement that a Congress win in J&K would mean control over the entire India, drew sharp criticism from the BJP. The saffron party accused Kharge of harboring an 'Emergency mindset', recalling the period of authoritarian rule in India under Indira Gandhi's leadership. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, on X (formerly Twitter), characterized Kharge's statement as a reminder of the Congress's dictatorial tendencies. He further argued that Congress's criticism of the BJP's reliance on coalition partners was hypocritical, pointing out that the Trinamool Congress, a key ally of the opposition, operates in a similarly autocratic manner in West Bengal.
Beyond the political sparring, Kharge's J&K campaign was focused on garnering support for the upcoming assembly elections. He unveiled a series of guarantees for the region, including a health insurance scheme offering coverage of ₹25 lakh for each family, a monthly financial benefit of ₹3,000 for women heads of households, and an interest-free loan of ₹5 lakh for women. He also pledged to revive previously shut down schools and reiterated the Congress's long-standing commitment to rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandit migrants. These promises represent the Congress's bid to attract voters in the region and demonstrate their commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: 'They would be in jail if ...': Kharge's attack draws BJP's 'Emergency DNA' jab