Finished 2 Terms Under Manmohan Singh: M Kharge On PM Modi's '5 PMs' Remark

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "five PMs in five years" remark, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday that similar things were stated even in 2004 but the UPA government completed two full terms under one PM, Manmohan Singh.

At various election rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the INDIA bloc wants to make five prime ministers in five years and claimed that it will disintegrate after June 4.

Mr Kharge responded by rejecting PM Modi's claims.

"In UPA I and UPA II, we were supported by other parties and we completed the full term," Mr Kharge told reporters.

For 10 years, there was one prime minister, a person who came from the land of Punjab, ran the country and changed its economy, he said about former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Taking a dig at the BJP, he further said, "Whereas they did nothing for 10 years."

Accompanied by former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Mr Kharge arrived here after addressing an election rally at Jagadhri in Haryana.

On the ruling party leaders' frequent questions about the opposition's "PM face", Mr Kharge said, after the polls, the INDIA alliance partners will sit and decide this (if the opposition wins the election).

He said the BJP has been saying that the Congress or the INDIA alliance does not have a face like Modi. They used to say the same thing in 2004 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, the Congress president said.

"After the polls, the alliance partners will sit and decide. Like we ran UPA government, in similar manner we will do this," he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Kharge claimed that the INDIA bloc has gained good ground in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

"Everywhere we are gaining and they are losing. Our alliance will definitely stop the Modi government from coming to power," he said, and added, "the people are fighting against PM Modi and we are supporting them".

Voting for the sixth and seventh and last phase of elections will be held on May 25 and June 1.

Asked why the Congress was saying that the Constitution is in danger, Mr Kharge said, "The RSS leaders including Mohan Bhagwat had said in 2014 that if the BJP got two-third majority, they will change the Constitution."

In the next Lok Sabha elections, they again raked up the issue of changing the Constitution, he claimed.

He further alleged that BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj also said this.

"When it came from their side that they will change the Constitution then we came to know that they are moving towards ending reservation in a gradual manner," he said.

Taking on the ruling BJP, he said, "Why did they not fill 30 lakh vacancies in the central government? When they are not filling 30 lakh jobs, then how are they doing anything for the SCs and STs?"

He also accused the BJP government of not implementing reservation in promotion. Scholarship to the students has also been reduced, he said.

"Gradually, you are weakening the Constitution," he charged.

The Congress president also accused the BJP of diluting the autonomous bodies. The Home Department brought the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under its control, he said.

To a question on PM Modi accusing Rahul Gandhi of speaking about the Congress giving reservation to Muslims, Mr Kharge said he had never said so.

"PM Modi says for him everybody is equal but the very next day, he criticises the minorities," he said.

Asked about the basis on which he was saying the opposition bloc will form the next government, Mr Kharge said it is gaining in Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha and Bihar. The Congress and Samajwadi Party will perform better in Uttar Pradesh, he claimed.

"Everywhere, the opposition parties are gaining and the NDA is losing. Our alliance will definitely stop the Modi government from coming to power," he said, adding that the people are fighting against PM Modi and the opposition parties are supporting them.

In Chandigarh and earlier at the Jagadhri rally in Haryana, Mr Kharge hit out at PM Modi on various fronts including his reported remarks that the Congress was planning to redistribute wealth and take away women's 'mangalsutras'.

"PM Modi is speaking so many lies," he said, while asking why he keeps abusing the Congress and its leaders and not talk about development.

Mr Kharge said the Prime Minister does not talk about achievements and he only abuses the Congress.

"If he (PM Modi) does not speak anything about Rahul Gandhi, he cannot get proper sleep and he cannot even digest his food," said Mr Kharge.

He alleged that the BJP is trying to create discord in Haryana, which is known for its mutual brotherhood.

"In my 53 years of journey in politics, I saw many Prime Ministers and chief ministers during this period. No one said anything like what PM Modi says... We were in government for 55 years. Did we snatch anyone's property or anyone's mangalsutra?" asked Mr Kharge.

In the presence of Mr Hooda, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and Congress' Chandigarh Lok Sabha candidate Manish Tewari, Mr Kharge also attacked the BJP government in Haryana over unemployment.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)