Kharge promises 10 kg free ration to poor every month if INDIA bloc voted to power

LUCKNOW: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday promised that if the Congress comes to power at the Centre, the poor will be given free 10 kg ration every month. Kharge, accompanied by Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, made the announcement at a press conference in Lucknow.

“Four rounds of polling have been completed in the country. The INDIA bloc is in a very strong position. I can say with full confidence that the people of the country have prepared to bid farewell to Narendra Modi. INDIA bloc is going to form the new government on June 4," he said.

Kharge also said that BJP will change the constitution if it comes back to power. “RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said this first. In Karnataka they said that we need tw0-thirds majority because we want to change the constitution. In Uttar Pradesh so many people are talking about changing the constitution. I am surprised that Modi ji is quiet about this. You talk of strength and 56-inch chest, why don’t you scare them, expel them from the party. Say this is anti-national. If anyone gives wrong statements you jump on them but this is a subject of saving the democracy and the constitution then why doesn’t he talk about this? He only talks about mutton, mangalsutra in his speeches. If you have to seek votes then do so on the basis of your work, like Jawaharlal Nehru created public sector institutions that gave employment to lakhs, brought green revolution. Seek votes on the basis of work,” he added.

Will win 79 seats, says Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday claimed that INDIA bloc will win 79 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. “June 4 will also be the day of freedom of press. BJP is caught in its own negative narrative. When we look back and see now, ten years of rule at the centre and seven years in Uttar Pradesh have shown their false promises. Their booth committees are working like loot committees. The faith of the people that is being seen in the INDIA bloc, the coming days will show that the 140 crore people will not even give 140 seats to the BJP. That is why their language has changed. Instead of seeking votes on the basis of their work, they have changed the language in their campaign. The people of the country want change and that change will come on June 4 when the INDIA bloc will form the government,” he said.

Counter to 'Anna Yojana'

The free ration announced by Kharge is a response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana'. Under the Anna Yojana scheme, the poor will get 5 kg of ration free per month.