BJP seeks Kharge, Rahul Gandhi's apology over Congress chief's remarks on poll promises

BJP demands apology from Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for acknowledging financial constraints in Congress promises.

The BJP Friday (November 1, 2024) demanded Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge's apology following the Congress president's advise that his party's State units should make only those promises that are fiscally doable, a statement seen by many as an acknowledgment of financial constraints that some of its guarantees face in States.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked mockingly if Mr. Kharge has given his first "gyan" to Mr. Gandhi, noting the former Congress president often boasts of "khata khat" (immediate) transfer of money to different population segments during state and national elections in the case of his party coming to power.

Mr. Kharge has realised that the Congress should not make reckless announcements, the former Law Minister told reporters, claiming that the party-run governments in States like Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh are faced with financial hardships in fulfilling the guarantees offered to people.

In Himachal Pradesh, Congress Ministers were asked to not take salary and even a toilet tax was introduced, which was withdrawn after protests, he added.

In Karnataka, the State government is reviewing its promise for free bus rides to women, Mr. Prasad added.

Hitting out at the Congress, he said it is the party's history of fooling voters by making them false promises, and recalled the "garibi hatao" slogan given by Indira Gandhi during the 1971 polls.

Unlike the Congress, he claimed, the BJP makes only those promises which are guided by "fiscal prudence". The party had promised to transfer ₹6,000 annually to 11 crore farmers, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been fulfilling it with a click of button.