While several of INDI bloc alliance partners are taking a dip in the sangam during the ongoing Kumbh festivities, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has seemingly put his allies and even his party leaders in a bind. Kharge on Monday asked if taking a dip in the Ganga could end poverty.
“Don’t fall into the trap of false promises of (Narendra) Modi. Is poverty ended by taking a dip in the Ganga? Does it fill your stomach? I don’t want to question anyone’s ‘aastha (faith)’. If anyone feels bad, I apologise,” Kharge said.
However, the statement by the Congress chief again illustrates a complete lack of coordination and clarity on important political subjects between various alliance partners of the INDI bloc.
The Samajwadi Party, which feels confident about taking on Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, after its best ever performance in recent Lok Sabha polls, has been trying to warm up to the Hindu voters. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took a holy dip in Prayagraj this week, in an apparent bid to reach out to the majority community. This comes even as Akhilesh Yadav-led party wants to repeat this victory in the Milkipur bypoll, which is scheduled for February 5.
However, Kharge’s comments have created an embarrassing situation for its partner, as this could hurt the SP’s outreach plan towards the majority community.
The Congress chief’s comments also highlight the total disconnect that the top leadership of the grand old party has with the grassroots.
Kharge even accused the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders of competing against each other to take a dip for the cameras at the ongoing Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. However, acknowledging the religious and sentimental significance of Kumbh, Congress leaders from its Uttar Pradesh unit like Pramod Tiwari have been going to Prayagraj for participating in religious rituals.
The grand old party could have taken a feedback from its UP unit and tried to reach out to Hindu voters in the state.
In fact, many in the party feel that senior leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra should have been roped in to visit Prayagraj during the important ritualistic period.
Many in Congress feel repeated statements can be interpreted as anti-majority community and the senior leadership should avoid making such controversial remarks, sources said.
The BJP has also not lost the opportunity to bring Kharge’s comments to the notice of voters, while attempting to reinforce the perception being built that the grand old party was anti majority community and was only interested in appeasing minorities.
BJP MP Sambit Patra slammed Kharge for his remark, saying,”Rahul Gandhi and Congress should explain as to why they have such an ‘anti-Sanatan’ ideology. This isn’t the first time that Mallikarjun Kharge said something against Sanatan.
“Earlier, he had said that he would end ‘Sanatan’ if they come to power. Rahul Gandhi can go and take a dip in Italy, we have no objections. But using such words against Maa Ganga is not right,” Patra as said.
