New Delhi: The Congress’ massive win in Karnataka will have an impact in the coming four assembly polls this year and will give a boost to the grand old party’s plans to build a credible anti-BJP front for the 2024 national elections.
“The people of Karnataka have indicated which way the wind is blowing. The results in Karnataka would have an impact not only in the coming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, they will also strengthen our claim of being the only credible national alternative to the BJP,” AICC secretary in charge of organization Vamshi Chand Reddy told ETV Bharat.
“The Congress has been trying to take other parties along and forge a national anti-BJP front for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Karnataka results will send a strong message to the regional parties, including the TMC and AAP, and compel them to align with the grand old party for the bigger 2024 political battle,” he said.
According to the senior Congress leader, party president Mallikarjun Kharge had been leading a group of 19 like-minded parties during the recent budget session of Parliament to counter the BJP-led Centre over the Adan-Hindenburg and other issues and the Karnataka outcome will give a major boost to the grand old party’s efforts towards forging greater opposition unity.
“See, the PM Modi-led BJP had been trying for a Congress-free Bharat since 2014. But now the people of Karnataka have given a BJP-free south India. The five southern states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have 129 Lok Sabha seats. So that is a straight loss to the BJP which has been badly defeated in Karnataka. Over the coming months, the BJP’s claims of being the largest political party in the world and a pan India party will be exposed,” said Reddy.
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“In comparison, the Congress vs BJP type of contest will gain ground in public discussion. After we take MP from them which they stole from us in 2020 and retain Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the Congress’ nationwide presence will get projected in public mind and will play a role in ensuring the BJP’s defeat in the 2024 national polls,” he said.
The Congress leader acknowledged that Kharge’s background as a Dalit leader who could reach the top party post helped the grand old party project its democratic credentials and resonated with the marginal sections of Karnataka. “It will also send a message across the country. Plus, due to his personality all opposition leaders find it easy to associate with Khargeji,” he said.
Reddy further mentioned that the pro-people promise the Congress made in Karnataka convinced the voters and a detailed common minimum programme would have to be worked out along with the other parties to set the agenda for the 2024 national elections. The AICC functionary acknowledged that while the people were tilting towards the Congress again, the grand old party would have to put its house in order and regroup.
“The Karnataka elections took precedence over the party reforms we had approved during the Plenary Session in February. Now, there will be several changes in the organization and everything will be geared towards the larger 2024 battle,” Reddy added.
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