'Bharose ka Sammelan': Kharge sounds Chhattisgarh poll bugle, says Modi didn't answer Rahul on Manipur; Baghel takes dig at Irani

Kharge was addressing people as he attended as chief guest the 'Bharose ka Sammelan' (trust conference) in Chhattisgarh's Jangjir-Champa district which marks the beginning of the election campaign of Congress for Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2023 likely to be held in November this year.

Janjgir-Champa:Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not answer Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's questions on Manipur in Parliament even as he slammed the PM for "making fun" of former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Kharge was addressing people as he attended as chief guest the 'Bharose ka Sammelan' (trust conference) in Chhattisgarh's Jangjir-Champa district which marks the beginning of the election campaign of Congress for Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2023 likely to be held in November this year.

"Modi Ji didn't answer (on Manipur) what Rahul Gandhi or leaders of INDIA alliance asked him. Instead, he made fun of Nehru Ji and Congress leaders. Modi Ji keeps saying that he has done everything. Did power, schools etc come to Chhattisgarh after Modi came to power?

Modi and Shah studied in government schools established by us. Or did they study in London or Oxford? And they ask us what did the Congress party do in the last 70 years? We had only put everything in place," Kharge said.

The Congress president also expressed confidence that his party will once again win the Chhattisgarh assembly polls, and urged people to support it in the next year's Lok Sabha elections "to save Constitution and democracy". "The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre is trying to destroy the people. But people should remain alert and elect the Congress to power in the next Lok Sabha election. We are confident of the party's victory in Chhattisgarh (assembly polls)," Kharge said. "We want to save the Constitution and democracy. Therefore, we have to work in the entire country," he said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and several other Congress leaders attended the event. During this, CM Baghel announced 1,043 development works worth more than Rs 467 crores in the Janjgir-Champa district. Many ministers and Congress leaders including Chhattisgarh in-charge Kumari Selja and state in-charge Deepak Baij were also present in the programme.

Baghel also slammed Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani and said she has "Rahul phobia". "Smriti Irani ki smriti theek nahi rahi. She accused the Chhattisgarh government of giving land to Adani. Rahul Gandhi opposes Adani and we will give land to Adani? Smriti Irani has Rahul Gandhi phobia...," Baghel said.

HE congratulated the National President at the party's trust conference and enumerated the achievements of the Chhattisgarh government. He too attacked the BJP fiercely. "The trust was lost in BJP in 2018 and even now in the last consecutive by-elections or urban body elections, people have expressed their trust only in Congress in Panchayati elections and in the future only on Congress. People's trust will remain, this is our belief," Baghel said.