'Polls being held because Cong saved democracy'

Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday claimed people were able to vote and fight polls because his party saved democracy.

Addressing a rally in Ausa in Latur, he lashed out at the ruling BJP for questioning the contribution of the Congress in the country's progress.

"The BJP is asking what has Congress done till now. We can answer it. We saved democracy. Hence people are contesting elections today. And we can see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah campaigning in Maharashtra," he said.

"We have saved the country and the Constitution. The BJP should tell the country what it has done in the past five years and we will tell them what we did in five decades," he added.

Hitting out at the Maharashtra government, Kharge said it promised to waive off Rs 35,000 crore loans of 90 lakh farmers but had not managed to reach even half the target.

He said the BJP was projecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asking votes in the name of national issues as it had nothing to show by way of performance in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra polls are scheduled for October 21 and results will be declared on October 24.