New Delhi: Calling the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as the "last opportunity" to save democracy, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that if Narendra Modi returns to power, the future elections in the country will be like those in Russia where the Opposition is a marginal player under Vladimir Putin.
Kharge said the April-May polls are the "last election" in the country if Modi wins again and "dictatorship" will be established in the country. He was addressing a party rally in Odisha's Bhubaneswar ahead of upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“If Modi returns to power, there will be no more elections. He would not allow it and a dictatorship would be established. Whether you agree or not, it is happening now. Only the day before yesterday, one of our leaders shifted sides,” he said.
“Notices are issued to leaders one by one to scare them, threaten them. If you don't leave them (Opposition), we will see you. Out of fear, some are ending friendships, some are leaving the party, some are leaving the alliance,” he said.
Though he did not name, Kharge was referring to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar dumping the grand alliance and aligning with the BJP-led NDA to form the government again.
“With scared people, how will this country survive, Constitution survive, democracy survive? This is your last chance. After this none will be able to vote. The elections will be like in Putin's Russia. After this, there is no chance,” he said.
Putin is accused of running an authoritarian government by stifling the Opposition. Russia is heading to Presidential election in March-April this year and in the previous 2018 polls, Putin had polled 77.55 per cent votes while his nearest rival got just 11.9 per cent votes.
On Nitish, he said it will not make any difference and all the partners were together and united and will certainly defeat the BJP. "One person quitting alliance will not weaken us...We will defeat the BJP. Leaving one or two leaders from the alliance makes no difference. We are all united and will fight together and defeat the BJP and the BJD in Odisha”, he said.
He said Rahul Gandhi was frequently threatened as he opposed the BJP and the RSS but the Congress leader did not come under their pressure and continues to fight against forces that are out to divide the country.
Published 29 January 2024, 12:19 IST
