Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | Kharge hits campaign trail with 'Jhoothon ke Sardar' swipe at AAP, BJP

New Delhi: Hitting the campaign trail for the February 5 Assembly elections in Delhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday dubbed the BJP and AAP as "Jhoothon ke Sardar" (chieftain of liars), calling them two sides of the same coin which did "nothing" for people's welfare in the national capital.

Addressing a public meeting in Burari, Kharge claimed the BJP and AAP only made false promises to the people of Delhi, and urged the voters to give the Congress a chance by driving away those who seek to divide people and don't turn up to solve their issues when required.

He also accused the BJP and AAP of being hand-in-glove with each other to oust the Congress from power in Delhi.

"AAP talks as if they have come from heaven. If all was well, why did you go to jail and why did you indulge in corruption and scams? These both sons of Harishchandra (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal) ousted us from Delhi, but has anything happened after that?

"Modi and AAP are brothers, they are two sides of the same coin. If you look, you will see Modi on one side and Kejriwal on the other side. If you oust them and bring the Congress (to power), the same infrastructure and facilities would be created in Delhi as seen during Sheila Dikshit's regime." Noting that the AAP came to power in Delhi claiming to provide a clean government, the Congress chief said one can see the water in the Yamuna river and recall the promises Kejriwal made.

"If you cannot even provide clean drinking water, what kind of government are you running? AAP is accusing BJP in Haryana of poisoning Yamuna waters, which the latter is denying. They are both 'Jhoothon ke Sardar'. Don't do drama and help people instead, as the poor are being crushed and exploited," Kharge said.

Reiterating that AAP and BJP joined hands to oust the Congress before, and they are doing it again now, Kharge said, "But people of Delhi are wiser now as they have seen that no development took place either under BJP or AAP.

"These people try to seek votes by invoking caste, religion and Hindu-Muslim. But what are they doing to help people unite? Rahul Gandhi took out Bharat Jodo Yatras to unite people, but Modi Ji and AAP leaders want to divide the society even when people want to unite. Please vote for those who unite, and not those who divide." Kharge also told the gathering that "Hum darne wale nahin hain. Agar darre to marre (We won't get scared. If we do, we'll die)".

Urging the voters to give the Congress a chance just as they gave to AAP and BJP three-four times, Kharge said, "You will see development such as roads, bridges, big industries, buildings and houses, as built during Sheila Dikshit's tenure." Attacking both the BJP and AAP, Kharge said while the former feels that India got Independence the day Modi became the prime minister, AAP thinks only they have built Delhi and nothing happened before they came to power.

The country got Independence due to the sacrifices made by Congress leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru, and not because of the BJP or AAP, Kharge said.

"We worked hard to get freedom, but these people claim they did everything. How many people are dying due to religion, caste? Why are they (BJP, AAP) quiet," Kharge questioned.

"While AAP claims to build hospitals and protect women, today we only see mountains of garbage here. The poor people are suffering, there are no facilities in the 'jhuggis' (slums)," the Congress chief said.

Claiming that it was the Congress of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh that gave food security, MGNREGA to the people, Kharge accused the BJP of taking away money from the poor and handing it over to two-three billionaires such as (Mukesh) Ambani and (Gautam) Adani.

He also claimed that while Nehru built ports and airports, Modi is selling them out now.

"There are 35 lakh vacancies in the country, but Modi is not filling them as he wants the poor to remain poor. If recruitment takes place, 50 per cent jobs will go to the poor, SCs, STs and backward people," Kharge said.

Hitting out at the AAP leadership, Kharge said while it puts up pictures of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh, it doesn't adhere to their principles.

"Only when it comes to seeking votes that they remember Babasaheb, Bhagat Singh or imams and priests. You should drive away those who make false promises from Delhi this time," Kharge said.

Referring to the 'hand' symbol of Congress, Kharge said it should be strengthened and made powerful.

He also referred to the "loot" in the construction of the Dwarka Expressway and the CAG report on it, lamenting that the BJP does not admit its mistake.

"They are making Delhi poorer, yet they talk big. They have not done anything for the middle class or the poor, as they only work for the rich and the big industrialists," Kharge said, as he listed out the five guarantees of Congress which he claimed have already been implemented in Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh.

Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The first of two state assembly polls this year sees a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP in the nation's capital. AAP decided to contest the polls alone, causing rumours of a rift in I.N.D.I.A. BJP, meanwhile, is hoping the liquor excise policy scam and pollution in Delhi will give the saffron party an edge over AAP. Kejriwal, on the other hand, has different plans with his demand for reservations for Delhi Jats. Congress will also be looking to make its presence felt and has not held back from attacking its own alliance partner. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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