“We the people of India will together fight against hatred, loot, unemployment, price rise and atrocities. ‘Haath Badlega Halaat’ (the Hand will change the situation),” Kharge said on X.
At a press conference, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the elections are happening under “a cloud of scams” of electoral bonds, jailing of opposition leaders and “unprecedented” freezing of funds of the main opposition party.
“It is a milestone election because this election will decide whether our democracy will be protected or not, whether Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution will be protected or one man’s whims and fancies will decide the direction and future of our democracy,” Khera told reporters.
He alleged that BJP has reduced the constitutional status of the Election Commission and noted that Congress gave a dissenting note on the appointment of election commissioners.
Khera said 18 million new voters would be voting this time and they would be “remembering and thanking Rajiv Gandhi who gave voting rights to the youth”.
“BJP’s slogan is for the BJP’s benefit only. Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge gave guarantees for the country and its people,” he asserted.
Trinamool Congress questioned holding polls in seven phases for West Bengal’s 42 seats. “We wanted a single or twin phase Lok Sabha election in the state. Our views were that a multiple-phase election helps political parties with deeper pockets, and gives them an advantage over others,” state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said people have been “desperately” waiting for the general elections. “The dates of Lok Sabha polls have been declared. It’s a great festival of democracy. I appeal to all countrymen to vote this time against dictatorship and hooliganism,” he said.
With EC holding back assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said there was “something fishy”. “If there are conducive conditions for the parliamentary election, how is it not all right for state elections?” he said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut welcomed the poll schedule and said the Maha Vikas Aghadi is ready for it. “We only want the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polls,” he added. On the state going to polls in five phases, Raut said several new things were happening under the current regime.