In response to the Bharatiya Janata Party's accusations, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge lashed out at the ruling party denouncing their claims of similarities between the Congress manifesto and that of the Muslim League. Speaking at a public rally in Assam's Barpeta, Kharge refuted the allegations, labeling them as "shameful" attempts to discredit the Congress party's agenda.
"We are trying that the wrong rumours should not be spread. Everything in our manifesto is for the poor, youth, farmers, and women, so why are they saying that it is the Muslim League's manifesto. This is shameful," Kharge said.
Kharge, addressing a gathering of supporters, highlighted the foundational initiatives undertaken during the Congress-led tenure at the Centre. He stated the role of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the guidance of Sonia Gandhi in implementing policies aimed at uplifting the underprivileged segments of society. Kharge pointedly remarked that the BJP's assertions regarding the resemblance of Congress's manifesto to the Muslim League's were baseless, asserting that the quoted points were not even present in their manifesto.
"When we were in power at the Centre, our numbers were less, but under the leadership of former PM Manmohan Singh and with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi, we worked to fill the stomach of the poor," Kharge affirmed. He further criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rhetoric, accusing him of failing to acknowledge the groundwork laid by the Congress party in implementing key welfare schemes such as the right to food, right to work, RTI, and RTE.
Expressing his dismay over the BJP's refusal to engage in dialogue, Kharge said that his attempts to clarify the Congress manifesto's objectives to PM Modi, which were allegedly rebuffed. "I even asked for his time to explain to him about our manifesto, but he didn’t meet," Kharge lamented, highlighting a perceived lack of willingness on the part of the ruling party to engage in constructive discourse.