Congress government in Karnataka stable, won’t fall: Kharge

Bengaluru: All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday ruled out the possibility of the Congress government in Karnataka falling after the Lok Sabha election while expressing confidence that his party will make “substantial” gains in the state. 

In an interview to DH, Kharge said his party’s government in the state is doing “good” work. 

“It is a stable government that is doing good work. Some people, out of jealousy, are saying that the government will fall. Whoever comes, the government will be there and we will implement (our programmes),” Kharge said. 

Top Opposition leaders from the BJP and JD(S) have predicted that the Congress government will fall after the Lok Sabha election. 

In Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha seats, Kharge said the Congress will win between 15 and 20 seats.

“The BJP’s claim that it will win all the 28 seats is bogus. We will definitely improve this time substantially,” Kharge said. 

“People are happy with the guarantee schemes. The only ones unhappy are those opposing the guarantees. Well, no government can ensure 100% satisfaction,” Kharge said. 

Kharge also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ slogan. “The Modi Guarantee is that he won’t deliver. That’s his guarantee,” he said.

There was pressure on Kharge to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Gulbarga, where he lost in 2019. It was his first electoral defeat in a long political career.

However, Kharge gave up the seat and the Congress fielded his son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani. 

“In 2019, there was pressure on me to contest from Kolar. Eight MLAs had signed a petition to Sonia Gandhi. This time, leaders from Uttar Pradesh wanted me to contest from a safe seat there. But this is a very important election. I have been given a responsibility, which I must carry out satisfactorily and effectively,” Kharge said. 

“Also, Madam Gandhi took me into Rajya Sabha and made me the Opposition leader. So, to carry out these responsibilities, I had to give up that seat,” Kharge said.