Senior Congress chief Shashi Tharoor on Sunday asserted that the opposition INDIA alliance is the reply if the residents of the nation need the subsequent authorities on the Centre to work for the individuals relatively than the “image of a leader”.
The Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala claimed that the Congress is forward of the BJP in all of the 5 meeting poll-bound states and the end result will increase the morale of the opposition alliance earlier than subsequent yr’s Lok Sabha polls.
In an interview with PTI, Tharoor mentioned, “I think the time has come for Indian voters to ask what is in their self interest, not what’s in Modi’s image or PR work of the BJP. Do you want a government that will give your welfare a priority? Do you want a government that will put people first and not the image of the leader first?”
He asserted that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is the reply if the residents desire a authorities that can take into consideration the individuals as an alternative of a single chief. “Frankly, it seems the people of India are getting ready to send a strong message to the BJP.
If you look at the elections, at the moment, the BJP is way behind the Congress in four of the five states and slightly behind in the fifth one, Rajasthan.
“So, if you are looking at the outcome, it looks like the opposition is going to get a very strong wind in its sails when it goes for Lok Sabha elections next year. And that can’t be good news for the BJP,” he added.
Referring to the pre-poll surveys in Rajasthan, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, the senior Congress chief mentioned that every one of them have put the opposition get together forward of the BJP in all states besides Rajasthan.
“If you also pick up what party workers are saying on the ground, there is a lot of confidence in the Congress party that we are going to do very well in these elections,” he added. Polling in these 5 states will happen between November 7 and 30 in a number of phases, whereas the votes will likely be counted on the identical day on December 3.
Asked if he wish to time period the polls in these 5 states as “semi-finals” earlier than the Lok Sabha elections, Tharoor mentioned the terminology is a “bit awkward” as a result of the voters have learnt to vote in another way in meeting and Lok Sabha elections.
“Also, in the few months between the results of the state elections and the declaration of the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, anything can happen. Last time around in 2018, (Narendra) Modi’s party lost all five states and by May of 2019, they had won a majority of seats in all these states.
“So, what happened? Well, partially because Pulwama happened. With Pulwama and Balakot, the government was able to transform what had been a referendum on their economic incompetence into a national security vote.
People said for national security reasons, they vote for Modi,” he added. On the potential for utilizing any such concern once more throughout subsequent yr’s elections, the Kerala MP mentioned: “I don’t think lighting can strike at the same way at the same place twice.”
He mentioned that the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) can capitalise on two occasions occurring in January — completion of Ram Mandir and go to of (US President) Joe Biden because the chief visitor within the Republic Day celebrations.
Questioning the BJP guarantees made earlier than the Narendra Modi authorities got here to energy, Tharoor requested the individuals of the nation if all these assurances have been fulfilled, and take a call accordingly.
Talking in regards to the controversy surrounding the identify of the nation, the MP mentioned: “I think it is a completely unnecessary distraction from the real issues facing that country. India is something that everyone identifies as part of our country’s idea. Why do we want to choose from one to the other? Let us keep both (India and Bharat).” He mentioned individuals very simply change between India and Bharat relying upon the language they communicate or write. If it’s in English and at a global discussion board, then India and it’s Bharat whether it is in somebody’s mom tongue.
“The word India originates from the same etymological roots as the word Hindu. Both came because the Persians saw the people beyond the river Indus as one people. They couldn’t say the name Sindhu because they couldn’t pronounce ‘S’ very clearly, so they made it Hindu. “That’s how Hindu and India both originated from the Persian words for the people beyond the river Sindhu. So, if you don’t want to say ‘garv se kaho ki hum Indian hain’ (say proudly that we are Indians), you can’t say ‘garv se kaho ki hum Hindu hain’ (say proudly that we are Hindus). Both are from the same origin,” the veteran author-turned-politician defined.
On the alleged misuse of the central investigating companies, Tharoor alleged that this isn’t new because the BJP has been doing it all through their tenure since 2014. “It just accelerates before there is a vote. They somehow want to discourage the people who have the courage to challenge them. I think we are going to find more and more cases against the opposition and the critics of the government.
” and admittedly I feel the general public now has learnt to see by means of the messaging behind this. It can’t be that the one individuals price investigating on this nation are opposition leaders,” he added.
Tharoor was in Aizawl to marketing campaign for Congress candidates for the elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly which is able to happen in a single section on November 7. The votes polled will likely be counted on December 3.
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)
