Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi participated in the party's Jan Aakrosh Yatra and addressed the first public meeting in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh today (September 30), with just months to go for the state assembly polls. He was addressing a rally in the Kalapipal constituency in the Shajapur district.
Madhya Pradesh epicentre of corruption
Addressing a rally, the Congress leader said that Madhya Pradesh is the epicentre of corruption in the country. "On one side is the Congress Party, Gandhiji and on the other side is the BJP, RSS and Godse. On one side there is hatred and violence and on the other side, there is love, respect and brotherhood. Wherever they (BJP) go, they spread hatred but now the youth and farmers of Madhya Pradesh have started hating them. Madhya Pradesh is the epicentre of corruption in the country," said Rahul Gandhi.
He claimed that 18,000 farmers committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh in 18 years of BJP rule in the state. "Madhya Pradesh government is not giving the right price to the farmers for their crops. Go and ask the farmers of Chhattisgarh how much money they get for the paddy crop. What we promised, we completed it. For the first time in the history of India, farmers are paying taxes. They implemented GST. Our government works for the poor and farmers," said the Congress leader.
He further said that wherever the BJP go, they spread hatred and anger. "Now, in Madhya Pradesh, the youth and the farmers in the state have started to hate them," he said. “Why is there no OBC reservation in Women’s Reservation (Act)? asked Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi promised that if Congress comes to power, a caste census will be conducted in the country to know an exact number of OBC people. "When I ask the question how many Dalits, OBCs, tribals, Generals are there in the country, no one is able to answer it. After forming the government at the Centre, the first thing we will do is to conduct caste census," he said.
MP has become 'Chaupat Pradesh'
Party state chief Kamal Nath said that Madhya Pradesh) is number one in unemployment today and the biggest challenge here is the unsecured future of our youth. He said that the state has become 'Chaupat Pradesh'. "Every section of society is under distressed in this 'Barbaad Pradesh'," said Kamal Nath.
It is pertinent to mention that the Congress bagged two out of three assembly seats in the Shajapur district, including Kalapipal in 2018.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is unofficially leading the party's campaign in Madhya Pradesh and she has sounded the poll bugles from Jabalpur in July. Priyanka Gandhi has so far addressed three public rallies in Madhya Pradesh. While AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge has so far addressed one public rally in Sagar.
Jan Aakrosh Yatra
The Jan Aakrosh Yatra was launched by Congress on September 18 with an aim to cover all 230 seats in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, in a bid to highlight what they view as the shortcomings of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. The Yatra will cover 11,400 kilometres and nearly all the assembly constituencies.
Congress leaders, including the leader of the opposition Govind Singh, former state Congress chief Arun Yadav, ex-ministers Kamleshwar Patel, Jitu Patwari, and Ajay Singh and former Union ministers Suresh Panchouri and Kantilal Bhuria, are leading the Yatra from various locations.
Elections to the 230-member assembly in Madhya Pradesh, which is currently ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be held by the end of this year.
2018 assembly elections
In the November 2018 MP assembly polls, the Congress won 114 of 230 seats while the BJP finished second with 109 seats. The Congress formed a coalition government with the support of independents, BSP, and SP under Kamal Nath. However, it collapsed after 15 months when a string of Congress MLAs led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, now a Union minister, joined the BJP, paving the way for Chouhan's return as CM.
(With agencies input)
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