BJP dares Congress to show commitment to oppressed sections by declaring Mallikarjun Kharge as PM candidate

Even as the AICC OBC Advisory Council meeting was held in Bengaluru, the Opposition BJP has questioned the commitment of the Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the welfare of the oppressed sections and challenged the party to declare its president and Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge as its prime ministerial candidate.

“If the Congress really cares about the oppressed communities, it should declare Mallikarjun Kharge as its prime ministerial candidate. But it will not. Because its top leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi will never accept it,” Mr. Vijayendra said at a press conference in Bengaluru.

Ridiculing Mr. Siddaramaiah, Mr. Vijayendra said, “He calls himself the champion of minorities, backward classes, and Dalits (AHINDA). He boasted about tabling the Kantharaj commission report in the State Cabinet. But after a phone call from Delhi and Rahul Gandhi’s directions, the report, which cost ₹165 crore to prepare, was thrown into the dustbin.”

Pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi too hailed from a backward community, he said, “Unlike Mr. Siddaramaiah, who keeps claiming to be a backward class leader, Mr. Modi never played identity politics but instead promoted the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ motto”.

He alleged that the OBC outreach and emotional appeals by Mr. Siddaramaiah and the AICC were merely due to the approaching Bihar Assembly elections.