“After completing five years in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s report card clearly shows that he has failed miserably on all fronts. I will present my report card to the people of the region. Let them decide my future,” Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge said.
Addressing a rally in Kamalapur village in Kalaburagi on Monday, Mr. Kharge said he would present the report card of developmental works taken up under the Congress-led UPA government and also the report card on the failures of the BJP government in the last five years.
Criticising a group of leaders who recently joined BJP for hatching a conspiracy to defeat him, he said that the people of the constituency would not allow them to succeed. “My work will speak for me, and once again the people of the region will bless me,” he said.
Listing out key contributions including the establishment of ESIC Medical Complex, Central University of Karnataka, Textile Park, sanctioning of a Railway Division Office in Kalaburagi, besides 27 new railway routes and national highways projects, Mr. Kharge said the developmental works taken up during his tenure as Railway Minister and Labour and Employment Minister have high visibility and cannot be ignored.
Slamming BJP candidate Umesh Jadhav and party leaders for using Modi’s name to seek votes, Mr. Kharge said the BJP leaders had nothing else to say about developmental works contributed to the region in the last five years.
Mr. Kharge said in his campaign speeches, he avoids making tall promises. He believes in seeking votes for the work he has done in the previous term. This has always paid rich dividends, he stressed.
The intense heat in Kalaburagi has not curbed the enthusiasm of the leader, who has been electioneering in the constituency. He is one of the select few politicians who have remained unbeaten in their long political careers. Mr. Kharge started his campaign in the afternoon, covered five villages – Kamalapur, Mahagaon, V.K. Salgar, Belamgi and Narona — coming under Kalaburagi Lok Sabha constituency.
The former Minister Revu Naik Belamagi, Baburao Chavan, K.B. Shanappa and others were present.