NEW DELHI, May 31: The Congress on Friday exuded confidence that the opposition alliance will get a “clear and decisive” mandate on June 4 when the results of the Lok Sabha polls are announced and claimed that many NDA constituents will be queuing up to join the INDIA bloc.
AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh also claimed that his party would have a strong performance in several states in which it had been wiped out in the 2019 polls.
Asked to comment on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could do another ‘palti’, Ramesh said, “He has an old habit of ‘palti (volte-face). I do not have any information on what he will do on June 4 but we are going to get a mandate without him. INDIA ‘janbandhan’ is going to get the mandate, there will be no need of the JD(U).”
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“You will see that the results from Bihar will be surprising and there would be no need of ‘palti’ but those who want to do ‘palti’ we cannot stop them,” the Congress general secretary said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.
Asked about the reasons for the Congress confidence that it will secure people’s mandate on June 4, Ramesh said that he had said after two phases that the INDIA ‘janbandhan’ is going to get a clear and decisive mandate.
“Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, in states where in 2019 we had been wiped out, this time you will see we will have a strong performance. In Rajasthan our performance will be strong and in UP, Maharashtra and Bihar, we will have a strong performance as an alliance,” he said.
“I am not saying this sitting here in Delhi, I have gone to these states, our leaders Mallikarjun Kharge ji, Rahul Gandhi ji and Priyanka Gandhi ji have gone to these states. The environment that was their in 2019 especially in these states,” Ramesh said, adding that he would also add Haryana and Punjab to the list of states where the Congress would do well.
Ramesh said the biggest reason for the Congress’ self-confidence is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign, claiming that he was rattled.
“The Congress used to be criticised that you don’t have a narrative, you keep changing (stance), this time this can be said of the PM. He used to raise a new issue to divert people’s attention (during the people’s campaign),” Ramesh said.
“The epidemic of lies that he spread on our manifesto, on Rahul Gandhi’s speeches and Kharge ji’s speeches, it was clear that he was rattled,” he added.
Ramesh further said the self-confidence with which Prime Minister Modi used to speak is lacking this time.
“In 2019, there was Balakot which was an emotional issue. This time there was no wave. I think quietly farmers, youth (voted). The issue of the Constitution and reservation that arose was also beneficial for us. That is why I say with confidence that we will get a clear and decisive mandate. Many NDA constituents will be queuing up to join the INDIA bloc,” he said.
Campaign for the seventh phase of the polls ended on Thursday evening and the polling for it would take place on June 1. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. (PTI)
