Post-election analysis: Kharge calls for harsh decisions at CWC

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday called for “harsh decisions” in view of some recent electoral setbacks after encouraging performance in the parliamentary elections.

In his opening remarks at the Congress Working Committee meeting here, Kharge also referred to questions being raised whether the Election Commission of India was performing its constitutional duty. 

Kharge warned that the Congress cannot let the fascist forces deepen and strengthen their roots and that is why it was important and necessary for the party to win elections and defeat these forces. 

Asserting that the Congress has to defeat the divisive forces, he said, “we have to defeat the divisive forces ruling the country at all costs and restore peace, progress, brotherhood and harmony.”

He added, “Because we have built a beautiful and a glorious nation and people of the country are ready to repose their faith in us, they are waiting for us and we cannot disappoint them.”

The Congress president accused the BJP government of trying to divert the attention of people from its repeated failures. Referring to violence in Manipur and Sambhal, he said there were so many sensitive and serious issues country was facing. 

Kharge said that during the last eleven years of the BJP rule at the centre a huge section of “have-nots” has come up in the country which has been hit by massive unemployment, inflation and grave economic disparities. 

“We have to become their voice”, he noted, adding, “it is also important for the Congress party to form the government so that the agenda for progress of the country and the deprived people is pursued and implemented.”

Assuring that there was no need to feel desperate or dejected, he said, there was a need for complete change from the grassroots level to block, district and the AICC levels. 

“We will have to bring in the changes according to the changing times.” he said, while asserting, “we have successfully faced the challenges in the past and we will face these challenges in future also and move ahead.”

Referring to the questions being raised about the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), he said that he agreed that these had made the election process doubtful. 

He said while it was the constitutional obligation of the Election Commission of India to ensure free and fair elections, but questions are repeatedly being raised as to what extent the ECI was fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities. 

On the recently concluded Maharashtra elections, he said, the results defied all calculations particularly when the MVA had done exceptionally well in the parliamentary elections just six months ago.