Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi is afraid of invisible voters, says Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Pic/PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said as the first round of voting of the Lok Sabha polls was over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was afraid of invisible voters and that's why he is always criticising the Congress party, reported news agency PTI.

If the Congress is nothing, why is the Prime Minister bothered about the grand old party, Kharge asked at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.

He said he had travelled to nearly 10-12 states and that the party was getting a very good response from voters there.

"I hope the undercurrent, that I can say, is not visible but Modiji is afraid of these invisible voters, and that's why he is always criticising the Congress," Kharge said at the press conference, reported PTI.

Accusing the Prime Minister of acting like a "petty politician," the AICC president also wanted him to read more about this country's history and learn how to keep the nation united.

Meanwhile, campaigning has peaked for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on April 26 with opposition leaders from the INDIA bloc hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over Prime Minister's "mangalsutra" remark, over the BJP's Surat MP winning unopposed with Congress leaders reiterating promise to conduct a caste census, reported ANI.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said that her party is committed to conducting a caste survey if it is elected to power at the Centre and the Kadugolla community in Karnataka will be included among Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Addressing a Lok Sabha elections 2024 rally in Karnataka's Chitradurga, she said that Congress will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs.

"For Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and OBC like my brother (Rahul Gandhi) says everywhere, a complete count will be done in the entire country as to who belongs to which caste and how much is their population and who is earning how much and then new policies will be made under that. The reservation limit will be increased from 50 per cent and the SC, ST sub-plan will be implemented. A special budget will be issued for SC, ST, and the Kadugolla community will be given ST status," she said, reported ANI.

Later, at a public meeting in Bengaluru, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "Mangalsutra" comments saying that the latter does not understand the struggles of women and her mother, Sonia Gandhi's mangalsutra was sacrificed for the country.

"In the last two days, they are discussing that the Congress party wants to rob you of your mangal sutra, your gold. It has been 70 years since the country gained independence. The Congress has been in power for around 55 years. Has anyone taken off your gold, your mangal sutra? When we were at war, Indira Gandhi gave off her gold to the country. My mother's (Sonia Gandhi) mangalsutra was sacrificed for this country," Gandhi said speaking at a public meeting in Bengaluru, reported ANI.

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 are being held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1 to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. While the first phase of the elections have concluded, the second phase of polling will be held on Friday.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)