Ensure BJP-free India, DKS tells Congmen

Maqsood Maniyar | NT

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday sought to pay the saffron party back in its own coin and called on Congress party workers to make “BJP-free India” a reality.

He was referring to the slogan “Congress Mukt Bharat” or Congress-free India oft-repeated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The statement by Shivakumar was a departure from the Congress’ stand that trying to make a country free of any political party constituted an authoritarian project.

The Karnataka Congress chief made the remarks during the commemoration of the ‘Quit India Movement’ which was launched on August 8, 1942 to get British colonialists to leave the country. He argued that defeating “communal forces” such as the BJP was just as important as it was to force the British out of the subcontinent.

“BJP used to say they would make India Congressfree. Today, we should all be prepared for a BJP-free India,” Shivakumar said, adding that the rainbow alliance of a multitude of parties from across India that named itself Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) had raised the spirits of the Opposition.

The Deputy CM also choose to tom-tom the five guarantees, saying welfare programmes were being looked at as a political alternative to the BJP. He added that workers should try to win the hearts and minds of BJP and JD(S) voters by ensuring that the guarantees reach them.

He called upon party workers to work without divisions to meet Congress’ larger goals of ensuring victories in next year’s Lok Sabha elections and the 2028 Assembly polls.